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Commemoration  of  twenty- 

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COMMEMORATION 

OF 

TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS  OF  SERVICE 

\i\    THE 

REV.HEINRYE.N1LES,D.D., 

AS    PASTOR    OF 

THE    FIRST 

PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH, 

YORK,   PA. 


ALSO    A    SKETCH 

•     •  OF   THE  •     • 

EARLY  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


^ 


^  "Ebenezer         "^^p^ 


%i,  ^alleluia  ^^ 


YOHK.    PA., 
HUBLRY    PRINIINQ    CO..     LD. 

iseo. 


•*->> 


-sti^ii^if^J^^  *- 


11^^'  have  thought  of  7  hy  loving  kindness, 
0  God,  in  the  midst  of  Thy  temple." 


•*  ^»  ^  ['  r- "  ""^^  -^^f^^^-  ^ 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

FREFA'l'OllY    STATEMENTS 9 

ANNIVERSARY    EXERCISES 15 

DR.  NILES'  HISTORICAL    DISCOURSE 17 

DR.  Robinson's  discourse 30 

remarks  of  dr.  paxton 38 

cfiildren's  service 39 

YOUNG    people's   SERVICES 39 

remarks    of    dr.  ERSKINE 40 

REMARKS    OF    DR.    CATTELL -14 

UNION    SERVICES    WITH    THE    CALVARY    AND    WESTMIN- 
STER   CHURCHES 45 

DR.    MURPHY^'S    ADDRESS 45 

DR.   paxton's  address 51 

DR.  cattell's  address 52 

FINANCIAL    RESULTS 54 

CONGREGATIONAL    RECEPTION          56 

CONGRATULATORY    LETTERS           57 

REMARKS    BY    RKV.    THOS.    M.    CRAWFORD 61 

RKMARKS    ]5Y    REV.    DR.    STEWAR'l' 62 

REMARKS    BY    ELDER    B.    F.    WILLIS 62 

P.EMAKKS    BY    ELDER    A.    H.    CAIJNER 64 


8  (JONTENiS. 

REMARKS   BY    REV.    W.    S.    FREAS 65 

PRESENTATIOX    HY    JOHN    HAMILTON    SMALL        ...  6f> 

ADDRESS    OF    DR.    GEO.    C.    HECKMAN 67 

HISTORICAL    SKETCH 72 

CHURCH    CALENDAR      79 

CHURCH    OFFICERS 80 

SYSTEMATIC    BENEFICENCE .  81 

ORGANIZATIONS 82 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL 84 

CONDITIONS    OF   CHURCH    MEMBERSHIP 86 


Prefatory. 


'N  view  of  the  fact  that  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of" 
the  settlement  of  our  pastor  would  soon  arrive,  a  con- 
ference of  members  of  the  congregation  was  called  at 
^     the  close  of  the  M^ednesday  evening  service,  March 
12,  1890.     A  proposition  for  the  public  observance 
of  that  event  being  unanimously  approved,  the  following 
were  chosen  an  executive  committee  to  devise  measures 
for  the  suitable  execution  of  that  plan,  viz: 
Mrs.  David  E.  Small, 
Mr.  John  M.  Brown, 
Mr.  John  H.  Small. 
At  subsequent  meetings   this  committee' made  various- 
reports,  and  at  length  the  following  sub-committees  were 
appointed : 

Committee  on  Invitations. 

Henry  Small,   Chairman. 
Joseph  Eoot,  James  Kell,  Esq., 

Dr.  M.  J.  McKiNNON,  Mlss  Anna  M.  Small^ 

Mrs.  John  H.  Small,  Mrs.  A.  E.  Blair, 

Miss  M.  E.  Prince. 


lo  ANNIVERSARY   EXERCISES 


Committee  on  (Decorations. 

George  S.  Billmeyer,  Chairman. 
Wm.  II.  SouDER,  Mrs.  G.  E.  IIersh, 

Guy  H.  Boyd,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Crider, 

Wm.  a.  Cook,  Mrs.  Geo.  S.  Billmeyer, 

Miss  Fannie  M.  Upp,  ]\1iss  Lucy  A.  Case, 

Miss  Fannie  E.  Evans. 


Com.m,ittee  on  ^rogram,m.e. 

H.  C.   NiLES,   Esq.    Chairman. 
Dr.  B.  F.  Spangler,  Mrs.  H.  W.  McCall, 

James  McLean,  Mrs.  C,  J.  Welsh, 

Dr.  J.  F.  Small,  Miss  E.  Menough. 


Comm,ittee  on  Music 

Wm.  H.  Herman,  GJiairman. 
C.  H.  Thomas,  Mrs.  A.  A.  Long, 

John  A.  Jones,  Miss  Mazie  Fisher, 

Miss  Bessie  M.  Davis,  Miss  Carrie  Keyser, 

Miss  M.  Louise  Weiser. 


YORK  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


II 


Committee  on  Entertainment . 


Wm.  H.  McCl 
Dr.  IIenky  Ness, 
Dr.  A,  A.  Long, 
€harles  M.  Billmeyer, 
Harry  D.  Rupp, 
Edward  P.  Staik, 
Mrs.  C.  B.  Wallace, 
Mrs.  Samuel  SxMall, 
David  E.  Small, 
Henry  R.  Kraber, 


ELL  AN,  Chairman. 

Mlss  Louisa  Durkee, 
Miss  Mary  E.  Kell, 
Miss  C.  PI  Adams, 
Miss  Annie  V.  Rupp, 
Mrs.  David  Strickler, 
Mrs.  Clara  Strawinski, 
Mrs.  J.  A.  Weiser, 
Mrs.  Jno.  M.  Brown, 
Mrs.  H.  a.  Ebert, 


Mrs.  Edward  Chapin. 


Com,m,lttee  on  Finance. 

Charles  I.  Nes,  Chairman. 
Isaac  A.  Elliott,  Wm.  H.  Griffith, 

Wm.  F.  Ramsay,  James  A.  Kell, 

John  Hamilton  Small, 
J.  Bailey  Sayres. 


Subsequently,  the  following  card  of  invitation  was  issued  by  the  committee  to  be 
addressed  to  every  family  connected  with  the  Church,  and  to  former  members  in  and  out 
of  the  city  : 


1865 


1890 


Anniversary  Exercises. 


^T  was  Easter  Sabbath,  and  the  weather  proved  excep- 
tionally spring-like  and  beautiful.  The  decorations 
of  the  church  were  elaborate  and  eminently  appro- 
^  priate.  From  the  centre  of  the  ceiling  hung  festoons 
of  evergreen  running  to  each  of  the  corners  and  ter- 
minating in  graceful  pendants.  Over  each  of  the  windows 
was  one  of  the  words,  "Diligence,"  "Faith,"  "Virtue," 
"Knowledge,"  "Temperance,"  "Patience,"  "Godliness," 
"Brotherly  Kindness,"  "Charity."  The  pillars  on  either 
side  of  the  pulpit  recess  were  covered  with  smilax  and 
calla  lilies,  and  their  bases  set  in  beds  of  palms  and  ferns, 
while  in  front  of  the  desk  was  a  bank  of  Easter  lilies  in 
their  splendor  of  green  and  whiteness.  Over  tlie  jMilpit 
was  sus|)ended  in  large  letters,  the  word  "  Ebenezer." 
Over  the  choir  gallery  the  word  "Alleluia."  Around  each 
of  the  circular  end  windows  were  these  symbolic  inscrip- 
tions: "Genesis,  1762,"  indicating  the  beginning  of  the 
church;  "  Bethel,  1860,"  the  erection  of  the  present  house 
of  worship;  "  Shiloh,  1865,"  the  coming  of  the  present 
pastor;  "Salem,  1890,"  the  prosperous  completion  of  the 
quarter  century.  All  the  lettering  was  appropriately  in 
silver. 


i6  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

According  to  invitation,  the  following  classmates  and 
other  associates  of  the  |)astor  were  present  to  take  part  in 
the  various  exercises  of  the  day,  viz: 

Rev.  Thomas  M.  Crawford,  ....  of  Delta. 
Rev.  Ebenezer  Erskine,  D.  D.,  .  .  .  of  Newville. 
Rev.  Wm.  C.  Cattell.,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,        .       of  Philadelphia. 

Rev.  Thos.  H.  Robinson,  D.  D.,     .(of  the  Western  Theological 

'      (     bemmary,  Allegheny,  Pa. 

Rev.  Wm.  M.  Paxton,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  -J  °^*^^^  Theological  Sem- 

'I      uiary,  Prmceton,  N.  J. 

Rev.  Thomas  Murphy,  D.  D.,  .  .  of  Philadelphia. 

The  general  subject  announced  for  the  morning  service 
was:  "  27«e  Christian  CJiurch:  Her  lieritaye  and  her 
responsibility.''^      The  following  was  the  order  of  exercises : 

Organ  Voluntary, 
doxology. 

Invocation. Rev.  Dr.  Murphy. 

Anthem    by    the    Choir. — "Praise     ye     the    Lord." — From 

\_Lambilotte. 
Scripture  Reading.  .  .  Rev.  T.  M.  Chawford. 

Hymn  No.  529. — "  Oh,  where  are  Kings  and  Empires  now." 
Pastor's  Historical  Review. 
Anthem  by  the  Choir. — "  How  beautiful  upon  the  Mountains." 

[ — Ferkitis. 

Address Dr.  T.  H.  Robinson. 

Address Dr.  Wm.  M.  Paxton. 

Prayer Dr.  Wm.  C.  Cattell. 

Hymn  No.  585.—"  Great  Lord  of  all  Thy  Churches  hear." 
Benediction Dr.  Erskine. 


Dr.  Niles'  Discourse. 


^^  WENTY-P'IVE  years  of  pastoral  experience  and 
Church  history  reviewed  in  twenty-live  minutes! 
Such  is  the  task  I  have  proposed   for  myself;  to 

^-^  condense  into  smallest  space,  records  and  reminis- 
cences which  might  occupy  hours,  and  even  days! 

Twenty-five  years  ago,  the  circumstances  by  which  we 
were  environed,  and  the  general  condition  of  American 
society  were  very  different  from  what  they  are  now.  Then, 
our  country  was  writhing  under  the  agonies  of  civil  war. 

Then,  the  morning  papers  were  read  with  avidity  such  as 
never  before,  and  the  evening  bulletins  were  eagerly  watched 
to  learn  what,  during  another  day,  had  been  the  movement 
of  armies,  and  the  results  of  battle. 

Twenty-five  years  ago,  yonder  common  was  surrounded 
by  hospital  wards  into  which  thousands  of  sick  and 
wounded  from  the  regiments  of  different  States  had  been 
brought,  to  receive  not  only  the  care  of  Government  officials, 
but  also  the  tender  ministrations  of  our  kind-hearted,  liberal- 
handed  citizens. 

On  this  very  6th  of  April,  a  quarter  century  ago,  the 
Army  of  Virginia  was  fleeing  before  the  triumphant  forces 
of  Grant ;  and  three  days  later,  their  commander,  General 
Lee,  was  forced  to  unconditional  surrender.  Then,  how 
the  glad  news  flashed  across  the  continent,  and  even  under 
the  ocean,  till  the  civilized  world  felt  the  thrill  of  joy  !     A 


l8  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

few  days  later,  (April  14tli)  the  fourth  anniversary  of  the  fall 
of  Fort  Suintei"  was  signalized  by  raising  again  the  stars 
and  stripes  over  the  ruins  of  that  histoi'ic  fortress.  On  the 
evening  of  that  da}^,  when  our  country  was  aglow  with 
enthusiasm,  j)arades  and  illuminations,  the  Presbytery  of 
Harrisburg  assembled  in  this  church  for  its  semi-annual 
session.  It  was  opened  with  a  sermon  by  our  brother,  Dr. 
Robinson,  who  was  then  associate  pastor  with  the  venerable 
Dr.  DeWitt,  at  Harrisburg.  Amid  the  felicitations  of  that 
hour,  little  did  we  imagine  what  a  night  would  bring  forth  ! 
Little  were  we  j)repared  for  the  startling  announcement 
which  came  to  us  next  morning  (April  15th)  of  tl)e 
assassination  of  the  beloved  Lincoln,  and  of  the  reign  of 
terror  which  bloody  cons[)irators  had  ])roduced  at  Wash- 
ington !  When  Presbytery  came  together  thai  Saturday, 
how  ardently  we  hoped  that  the  report  might  prove  to  be 
exaggerated!  JIow  earnestly  we  prayed  that,  if  possible, 
the  cup  might  pass  from  us,  and  the  Nation's  President 
live!  But,  before  noon,  our  worst  fears  were  confirmed; 
and  so,  instead  of  emblems  of  joy  ibr  the  services  of  the 
coming  day,  these  walls  that  aftei-noon,  like  jmblic  and 
l)rivate  buildings  generally,  were  I'estooned  with  draperies 
of  mourning!  My  journal  for  that  Sabbath  says:  " 'JMiis 
would  have  been  a  delightful  day,  but  lor  the  shadow  of 
awlul  crime  and  a  great  national  affliction." 

At  the  morning  service,  Rev.  Mr.  Sterling,  of  Williams- 
porf,  preached  an  appropriate  sermon,  after  which  the 
beloved  David  E.  Small,  who,  a  few  days  previous,  had 
been  elected  ruling  elder,  was  formally  ordained  to  that 
office  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  DeWitt.  In  the  afternoon,  a  chil- 
dren's meeting  was  held,  in  which  members  of  Presbytery, 
Messrs.    More,    Miller,    Long,    Sterling    and   Wing, 


DR.   NILES'    DISCOURSE.  19 

together  with  our  veteran  superintendent,  Dr.  Kerr,  took 
part. 

Tlie  evening  service  was  apjwinted  for  my  installation, 
when  the  sermon  was  preached  by  Dr.  Wing,  charge  to 
the  pastor  by  Dr.  DeWitt,  and  charge  to  the  people,  by 
Mr.  Sterling.  Then  at  the  close  of  service,  what  cordial 
hand-shakings  and  words  of  cheerCnl  encouragement !  Was 
minister  ever  blessed  with  nobler  welcome  than  was  given 
by  those  well  remembered  ones  who  flocked  around  this 
altar  !  But  where  are  they  now  ?  Those  members  of  the 
session,  Henry  M.  McClellan,  Samuel  Small,  James  W. 
Kerr  and  David  E.  Small!  And  thai  lemarkable  com- 
pany of  trustees,  prominent,  influential  men  who  attended 
to  "  the  outward  business  of  the  House  of  God,"  Edward 
Chapin,  Eli  Lewis,  Philip  A.  Small,  John  Evans, 
Henry  Welsh  and  Samuel  Small!  Every  one  of  them 
gone!  Others  too,  who  were  called,  one  after  another,  to 
take  the  offices  from  which  these  were  successively  removed 
by  death  !  And  besides  tliem,  many  more,  noble  men  and 
saintly  women  who  loved  the  gates  of  Zion,  and  prayed  and 
labored  for  her  increase.  'J'he  workers  have  been  chang- 
ing, but  tlie  work  rjoes  on.  Thank  God,  tiie  foundations  of 
His  Church  are  on  the  Eternal  Rock.  His  promises  for  her 
perpetuity  and  prosperity  and  increasinu  power,  are  signally 
fulfilled! 

The  Presbytery  of  Harrisburg  was  a  comparatively  small 
body,  included  in  the  Synod  of  Pennsylvania,  and  connected 
with  the  New  School  branch  of  the  Church.  But  thoucrh 
few  in  numbers,  it  was  confessedly  large  in  activities  and 
general  influence,  and  its  meetings  were  occasions  of  rarely 
delightful  social  and  spiritual  intercourse.  When  the  two 
great  branches  of  the  Presbyterian  fainily  came  together  in 
the  blessed  reunion  of  1870,  this  York  church,  by  reason  of 


20  ANNIVERSARY   EXERCISES 

its  geographical  position,  became  included  in  tl.e  new 
Presbj^tery  of  Westminster.  But  it  was  no  union  with 
strange  brethren,  to  which  we  then  reluctantly  submitted. 
On  the  contrary,  everything  was  done  to  make  us  i'eel  a 
cordial  welcome.  From  the  beginning,  we  found  warm 
henrts  ready  to  greet  us,  and  fraternal  confidence  ready  to 
assure  us,  and  during  all  succeeding  years,  even  up  to  these 
days  of  Revision  discussion,  and  honest  differences  of 
opinion,  nothing  has  occurred  to  make  us  feel  that  we  were 
not  one  with  our  brethren  in  all  the  essentials  of  Christian 
Fellowship  !  Owing  to  the  origin  and  traditions  of  the  early 
settlers  in  York,  Presbyterianism  is  not  indigenous  to  this 
soil,  and  could  not  floui'ish  hei'e,  as  in  otiier  parts  of  the 
State,  where  tlie  limitations  were  not  so  restrictive!  But, 
as  an  exotic  it  has  gradually  become  acclimated,  and  its 
growth  increasingly  vigorous.  We  can  hardly  realize  now, 
how  few  the  numbers  and  how  embarrassing  the  circum- 
stances of  those  who  made  the  beginnings  here,  more  than 
a  hundred  years  ago.  But  obstacles  and  discounigements 
with  which  Dr.  Cathcart,  the  first  pastor,  and  his  faithful 
supporters  had  to  contend,  were  much  reduced,  as  time  went 
■on,  in  the  experience  of  his  successors,  Wallace  and 
Emerson,  IIutchins  and  Street.  At  the  commencement 
•of  this  pastorate,  of  the  115  communicants  in  the  church, 
only  22  were  males,  and  scarcely  a  single  member  under 
twenty  years  of  age.  Now,  of  the  457  attending  members, 
135  are  males,  and  of  these,  a  goodly  proportion  (30  or  40) 
young  men  and  boys.  Of  course  these  must  be  judged 
charitably  and  nursed  tenderly,  for  they  have  the  volatility 
of  youth,  and  are  subject  to  its  temptations,  but  thank  God, 
we  have  ])eculiar  facilities  for  their  Christian  culture — 
facilities  which  they  seem  glad  to  improve  !  Years  of  happy 
spiritual  development,  we  trust,  are  before  them,  years  of 


DR.   NILES'    DISCOURSE.  21 

enlarged    activity    and    spirituality  and    usefulness  in   the 
Master's  service. 

Some  of  the  best  experiences  of  my  life  have  been  in 
laboring  with  and  for  youwj  people.  They  are  compara- 
tively free  from  the  deadening,  restrictive  influence  of  old 
habits,  and  on  thern^  must  be  the  hope  of  the  Church. 
From  my  first  Sabbath  in  York,  when  the  superintendent, 
Dr.  Kerr,  invited  me  to  visit  the  school,  and  rising,  to  their 
feet,  the  whole  company  gave  me  a  greeting  in  beautiful 
words  Avritten  for  the  purpose  : 

"  Welcome  Pastor  !  Welcome  Brother  ! 
One  and  all,  we  welcome  thee  !  " 

from  that  memorable  day  down  to  the  present,  I  have 
had  much  encouragement  in  dealing  with  the  young. 
Within  a  month  from  that  date,  inquiry  meetings  began  to 
be  held,  which  were  marked  by  undoubted  tokens  of  the 
Holy  Spirit's  presence.  Among  these  was  a  service  unique 
and  impressive,  which  some  of  you  well  remember,  held 
in  the  yet  unfurnished  kitchen  of  the  old  parsonage.  It 
was  a  singular  place,  chosen  for  the  quiet  that  reigned 
there,  but  around  it  we  may  well  believe,  the  angels  of 
God  hovered  with  joyful  interest,  as  they  saw  that  it  was 
the  birthplace  of  precious  souls !  Here  too,  should  be 
noticed  the  opening  of  another  spring  of  blessed  influences, 
the  Ladies'^  Prayer  Meeting^ — commenced  by  two  congenial 
spirits,  in  a  little  room  in  the  Washington  House,  while 
yet  the  pastor's  family  were  waiting  there  till  the  arrival 
of  our  goods.  Accessions  to  this  band  of  praying  ones 
were  gradually  made,  and  through  all  the  years,  it  has 
continued  to  send  out  a  stream  of  spiritual  life  which  has 
flowed  into  all  the  channels  of  the  church's  activit3^ 
Who  shall  tell  how  those  who  thus  waited  together  around 


22  ANNIVERSARY    EXERCISES 

that  altar  of  social  worship,  have  gained  selectest  blessings 
for  the  Church  ;  and  how  often  to  their  sensitive,  spiritual 
perceptions,  has  been  indicated  the  first  sound  of  a  "going 
in  the  tops  of  the  mulberry  trees,"  token  that  the  Lord  was 
coming  to  visit  His  people!  O!  those  precious  seasons  of 
quickened  religious  interest  which  we  have  enjoyed  in 
answer  to  prayer,  when  Christians  came  together  under  a 
fresh  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  when  converts  were 
added  to  the  Church  !  During  this  whole  quarter  century, 
scarcely  a  communion  service  without  more  or  less  acces- 
sions being  made  to  our  number.  At  the  first  June  com- 
munion, among  those  who  came  forward  publicly  to 
acknowledge  Christ,  were  some  wiio  now  are  scattered  far 
and  wide  over  the  earth,  and  some  who  have  gone  to 
Heaven  ;  but  others  there  were,  who  3'et  remain,  active, 
useful  and  beloved,  two  of  them  now  trustees  in  the 
church.  In  the  next  year  (1866),  forty-seven  candidates 
were  received  by  confession  ;  included  among  whom  were 
two  boys^  sons  of  elders  who  had  been  praying  earnestly 
for  them,  and  who  rejoiced,  O  so  heartily  !  when  we  wel- 
comed them  to  the  Lord's  Table!  Now,  each  of  those 
sons  has  come  to  the  responsibilities  of  manhood,  filling- 
just  the  offices  held  by  his  father, — each  one  an  elder  in 
the  church,  and  a  trustee  of  the  congregation  !  Verily, 
God  is  faithful  to  His  covenant.  "  The  children  of  Thy 
servants  shall  continue,  and  their  seed  shall  be  established 
before  Tliee ! "  Again,  in  '67  and  '68  we  were  blessed 
with  encouraging  fruits,  and  so  in  each  succeeding  year 
down  to  the  present,  additions  varying  from  twenty-five  to 
fifty  and  sixty  annually.  At  different  times,  I  have  been 
favored  with  visits  and  help  from  brethren  beloved: — Drs. 
Taylor,  Duryea,  Pierson,  Herald  and  others,  and  in 
common  with  other  churches  of  this  city,  we  have  shared 


DR.  NILES'   DISCOURSE.  23 

the  labors  of  such  men  as  Hammond,  Moody  and  MuN- 
HALL.  But  in  everything  our  sufficiency  was  of  God,  and 
to  Him  be  all  the  praise.  Summing  up  the  vvliole,  nearly 
a  thousand  different  persons  have  been  in  the  church  for  a 
longer  or  shorter  time,  under  my  pastoral  care.  To  many 
of  them  I  administered  the  baptismal  seal  in  tiieir  infancy, 
over  them  I  watched,  through  childhood,  taught  them 
in  the  inquiry  room,  received  them  to  the  communion! 
Others  came  with  letters  from  sister  churches,  and  were 
welcomed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Some  I  have  mar- 
ried, some  I  have  ministered  to  in  sickness,  and  some  I 
have  buried!  Some  have  gone  away,  and  are  doing 
Christ's  service  in  other  fields,  and  others,  thank  God, — 
more  than  four  hundred  faithful  ones  remain!  O,  how 
many  relations,  sacred,  tender,  far-reaching,  immeasurable, 
lias  God  appointed  tor  a  settled  pastor!  Several  of  my 
brethren,  in  their  letters,  speak  with  admiration  and  beau- 
tiful sympathy,  in  regard  to  these  relations.  I  am,  more 
than  ever,  deeply  impressed  with  them.  Would  that  in 
them  all,  I  had  been  more  wise  and  faithful,  my  work  bet- 
ter done,  my  soul  ever  on  fire  with  zeal  for  the  glory  of 
Christ  and  the  welfare  of  souls  ! 

About  the  time  to  which  I  have  referred  (Feb.  25,  1866), 
was  inaugurated  a  movement,  one  of  the  tirst  in  the  land, 
the  blessed  influence  of  which  has  been  widely  felt.  I 
refer  to  the  Temperance  Society  connected  with  our  Sunday- 
school,  which  must  be  forever  associated  with  the  name  of 
David  E.  Small,  who  was,  to  the  end  of  his  life,  its  only 
president,  and  who  did  so  much  by  his  personal  addresses 
and  his  pen,  to  recommend  it  to  others.  Many  who  have 
gone  out  amid  the  temptations  of  life,  we  know  have  grate- 
fully referred  to  the  principles  and  pledges  here  accepted, 


24  ANNIVERSARY   EXERCISES 

and  many  other  clmrcbes,  sending  for  our  constittition, 
have  organized  on  the  same  plan. 

Here,  let  me  also  refer  to  the  ijrou-lU  of  the  missionary 
sinrit  in  our  church.  Formerly,  the  old  fashioned  monthly 
concert  on  Monday  evening,  was  sustained  by  a  little 
number  who  were  not  willing  to  be  out  of  harmony  with 
others  who  thus  met  regularly  to  confer  and  pray  in  refer- 
ence to  tlie  progress  of  Christ's  kingdom.  But,  after  that 
concert  was  clianged  to  take  the  place  of  the  first  Wednes- 
day evening  in  each  month,  and  reporters  were  appointed 
for  the  principal  mission  fields,  the  interest  began  to 
increase.  Gradually,  new  agencies  were  instituted  :  "The 
Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society,"  "  The  Niles 
Mission  Band,"  for  young  ladies,  and  "  The  Always 
Ready  Band"  for  little  girls.  Likewise,  "The  Woman's 
Home  Missionary  Society,"  "  The  Westminster  Home 
Mission  Band,"  etc.,  through  all  which,  wider  interest  has 
been  developed,  until  now,  in  common  with  others,  we 
wonder  what  would  become  of  the  great  missionary  work, 
except  for  the  consecrated  love  and  zeal  of  the  Marthas, 
and  Lydias,  and  Priscillas  in  our  churches. 

1  have  referred  to  coincidences.  Another  one  of  special 
interest  should  be  noticed.  On  communion  day,  March  3rd, 
'78,  two  twin  brothers,  whom  I  had  baptized  in  infancy, 
were,  when  twelve  years  of  age,  publicly  received  into  full 
communion  with  the  Church,  and  at  the  same  time,  two 
other  twin  boys,  who  had  been  nurtured  in  our  Sunday- 
school,  were  received.  Now,  the  four  are  active  soldiers  in 
the  sacramental  host,  one  pair  among  the  most  prompt  and 
regular  and  reliable  supporters  of  this  church  in  which 
they  were  born.  The  other  pair,  having  passed  through  a 
full  course  of  academic  and  theological  education,  are  now 
serving  Christ  with  marked  success  as  home  missionaries 


DR.  NILES'   DISCOURSE.  25 

in  Dakota.  For  such  fruits  of  liis  ministry,  any  pastor  h as- 
especial  reason  for  thanksgiving  to  God  !  Others  there  are 
of  whom  it  would  be  pleasant  to  speak, — once  among  ns, 
cherished  and  beloved,  who  now,  in  professional  and  busi- 
ness circles,  are  letting  their  light  shine,  and  some,  who,  a» 
wives  of  ministers  and  prominent  laymen,  are,  in  widely 
different  spheres,  transmitting  the  sacred  influences  here 
received. 

In  October,  '83,  twenty-six  of  our  members  wect  forth  to- 
form  the  nucleus  of  what  has  now  become  the  vigorous 
"  Calvary  Presbyterian  Church,"  in  a  growing  part  of  the 
city;  and  in '87  thirty-eight  more  were  dismissed  to  form 
the  "Westminster  Church,"  which  is  doing  good  work  in 
another  direction.  We  felt  the  loss  of  those  brethren  and 
sisters,  excellent  and  beloved.  We  have  missed  their  pres- 
ence in  our  assemblies,  but  we  believe  that  they  went  forth 
in  the  name  and  with  the  spirit  of  the  Master.  We  thank 
God  for  their  successes,  and  we  pray  that  His  smile  may  b& 
upon  them  continually.  Some  of  them  are  here  to-day 
and  we  bid  them  hearty  welcome,  as  they  have  come  back 
to  join  with  us  in  these  services  of  remembrance  and 
praise  1 

Going  back  to  1867,  some  of  you  will  remember  that 
cold  Sabbath  (31st)  in  March,  when  we  gathered  for  the 
last  time,  in  the  old  lecture-room,  before  it  was  demolished 
to  give  place  for  the  present  chapel ;  and  when  we  sang : 

"  With  smiling  hope,  yet  tearful  eye 
Dear  old  Sunday-school  room,  good-bye !  " 

When  the  new  building  was  finished  it  seemed  ample  for 
our  needs,  though  now  it  begins  to  be,  like  its  humble  pred- 
ecessor, too  strait  for  our  growing  numbers  !  It  was  dedi- 
cated May  24th,  '68  :  Rev.  Dr.  Duryea,  then  of  Brooklyn^ 


26  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

Eev.  Mr.  Emerson,  a  former  pastor,  Hon.  Linus  Child,  of 
Boston,  and  others  taking  part  in  tiie  service.  In  that 
chapel,  and  in  this  loved  sanctuary,  what  varied  scenes  of 
spiritual  privilege  and  power  have  we  witnessed  through 
the  passing  years  !  and  how  many  hallowed  associations  are 
centered  there  !  Dear  to  memory  are  those  early  morning 
prayer- meetings,  conducted  by  different  brethren  succes- 
sively, in  the  spring  of '68,  and  the  hfippy  spiritual  results 
that  were  manifest.  And  you  remember  that  notable 
gathering,  which  proved  to  be  the  last  meeting  of  the  Synod 
of  Pennsylvania,  N.  S.,  when  you  formed  so  many  pleasant 
acquaintances  with  brethren  from  abroad,  and  saw  such 
winning  exhibitions  of  the  fellowship  of  kindred  minds.  Of 
various  meetings  of  Presbytery  which  have  been  held  here, 
I  should  like  also  to  speak,  and  of  that  animal  Feast  of 
Love,  so  long  maintained  by  the  churches  of  York  in 
■observance  of  "  The  Week  of  Prayer^  It  was  highly 
appreciated  by  many  earnest  souls,  and  it  tended  greatly  to 
foster  that  spirit  of  Christian  charity  beautifully  expressed 
by  one  of  our  departed  saints.  "  Nero,  the  bloody  tyrant," 
i(she  said,)  "  wished  that  the  people  of  Eorne  had  one  neck! 
In  such  a  wish  I  could  sympathize  with  him,  but  not  for 
the  same  reason !  He  wished  all  the  Romans  so  united  that 
he  might  cut  off' their  heads  by  a  single  stroke!  But,  if  all 
the  Christians  of  York  had  one  neck,  I  should  like  to  put 
my  arms  around  it,  and  thus  show  how  1  love  tJiem  all !  " 

This  suggests  a  thought  in  regard  to  the  style  of  Christian 
■character  which  has  been  produced  among  us,  through  the 
years.  Not  all  that  could  have  been  desired,  by  far!  Not 
that,  in  many  cases,  our  hopes  have  been  realized,  or  that 
we  have  been  spared  the  grief  and  shame  and  reproach 
which  a  church  must  endure  when  any  of  her  members 
prove  backsliders  and  unfaithful.     But,  on  the  other  hand, 


UR.   NILES"    DISCOURSE.  27 

T  am  sure  tliere  have  been  many  liere,  evidently  called  of 
Ood,  and  endued  with  power  for  His  service. 

As  I  pass  up  and  down  along  tlie  cori'idors  of  the  past, 
there  rise  before  me  men  of  rare  gifts  and  consecrated 
influence,  whose  words  of  prayer  and  praise  still  echo  from 
these  walls,  and  whose  works  of  faith  and  love  still  follow 
in  lines  of  blessing  all  around.  Those  model  elders^  like 
John  the  Beloved,  and  James  the  Just,  and  Paul  the  Faith- 
ful, and  Barnabas  the  son  of  Consolation,  who  went  with 
me,  from  house  to  house,  labored  with  me  in  the  inquiry 
meetings,  and  with  me,  welcomed  new-comers  to  the 
Eucharistic  Feast.  And  "  those  women  who  labored  with 
me  in  the  Gospel,"  like  Mary  and  Martha,  and  "  the  elect 
Lady  "  to  whom  the  Apostle  wrote :  "  Dear  departed  ones  ! " 
who  were,  as  //o?/.  Beloved,  are  now,  "my  Hope  and  Joy, 
«.nd  Crown  of  Rejoicing  !  "  Wlio  shall  say  that  they  are  not 
here  to-day,  invisible  witnesses  of  what  we  do!  Who  shall 
say  til  at  we  are  not  "compassed  about"  with  a  great  cloud 
■of  sympathizing  spirits  who  rejoice  to  see  that  the  work  is 
going  on — that  such  an  amount  of  rising  talent  and  varied 
activities  and  earnest  purpose  is  consecrated  to  the  ser- 
vice which  they  loved  !  Yes,  glorified  ones!  we  remember 
you,  with  grateful  hearts!  and  we  would  follow  you, 
wherein  you  followed  Christ,  until,  like  you,  we  shall  have 
accomplished  our  day,  and  shall  enter  on  the  Heavenly 
rest! 

It  is  time  to  stop.  But  there  are  some  other  words  my 
heai't  requires  me  to  speak.  Beloved !  you  have  dealt  very 
kindly  with  me,  all  the  way,  and  are  doing  so  still.  You 
have  borne  with  my  infirmities,  you  have  lightened  my 
burdens,  you  have  done  very  much  to  stay  up  my  hands 
and  encourage  mj  heart.  In  joy  and  in  sorrow,  in  health 
and  in  sickness,  to  me  and  to  mine,  you  have  been  sympa- 


28  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

thizing  helpers  and  endeared  personal  friends.  Ever  prompt 
in  the  discharge  of  pecuniary  obligations,  you  have  also- 
abounded  in  voluntary  expressions  of  thoughtful  regard. 
Your  holiday  gifts  and  other  frequent  tokens  of  affection, 
your  generous  provision  for  that  European  trip,  which 
proved  so  great  a  benefit  to  me  in  many  respects,  and  of 
late,  emphatically,  your  liberal  movement  in  erecting  that 
commodious  parsonage  home,  fit  complement  to  the  other- 
church  property  not  only,  but  essential  to  the  comfort  and 
health  alike  of  myself  and  of  her  who  has  shared  all  my 
experiences  and  whose  love  for  the  church  has  no  bounds,, 
all  these  things  I  desire  distinctly  and  gratefully  to  recount.. 
Giving  regularly  for  various  objects  of  Christian  benevolence- 
abroad,  you  have  also  remembered  the  deeds  of  beneficence 
at  home.*  Being  ministered  unto,  you  have  been  careful 
to  minister.  You  have  shown  that  it  is  no  unmeaning  form 
of  words,  used  in  the  settlement  of  a  pastor,  when  he  is. 
promised  "  whatever  may  be  needful  for  the  honor  of 
religion,  and  for  his  competent  worldly  maintenance." 

When  I  came  to  this  place,  it  was  as  to  a  strange  country,, 
and  by  no  planning  or  previous  desire  of  my  own.  It 
verily  seemed  as  if  the  Lord  had  opened  the  way,  and  that 
He  did  not  intend  I  should  go  anywhere  else  !  So,  through 
the  years,  it  has,  ever  since,  seemed.  As  for  the  future,  it 
is  for  Him  to  decide.  So  long  as  He  appoint,  I  shall  be  at 
your  service.  My  time,  talents,  education,  experience^ 
mental  and  spiritual  strength,  whatever  I  have,  shall  be 
cheerfully  used  according  to  His  direction ! 

But  there  is  a  side  of  the  picture  we  have  been  consider- 
ing which  I  cannot  view  with  satisfaction.     It  is  enough  to- 

*  During  the  period  under  review,  this  congregation  has  triven  to  the  Boards  of 
the  Presbyterian  Clmrch,  and  other  causes  of  eliarity,  not  less  tlian  $108,000:  and 
for  all  purposes,  congregational  and  benevolent,  about  $239,000. 


DR.   NILES'  DISCOURSE.  29 

startle,  and  to  make  me  humble.  Such  a  review  of  what  is 
irrevocably  past,  seems  very  much  like  Judgment  Day  work/ 
It  suggests  what  might  have  been  !  O,  that  I  had  been  more 
vigilant  and  active  and  prayerful  and  consecrated  to  this 
great  work  !  I  wish  I  had  done  more,  with  the  help  of  God, 
to  make  me  worthy  of  your  confidence  and  love.  I  wish 
I  deserved  all  the  kind  things  which  brethren,  far  and  near, 
are  speaking  and  writing  about  me  !  But  there  is  no  recall 
nor  reconstruction  of  what  is  jiast.  I  can  only  trust  in 
■abounding  grace;  grace  to  pardon  all  my  short  comings; 
•grace  to  counteract  my  mistakes ;  grace  to  accept  and  bless 
what  I  have  tried  to  do  in  the  Master's  name;  grace  to 
■sanctify  and  guide  in  the  days  to  come.  I  believe  in 
unlimited  possibilities  for  a  faithful  pastor,  and  an  earnest, 
united  people.  I  shall  be,  in  the  future,  very  much  ivhat  you 
shall  help  me  to  he!  Your  prayers  can  invoke  for  me 
Divine  aid,  your  sympathies  can  make  me  strong,  your  love 
infuse  new  life  into  my  heart  pulsations,  your  co-operation 
■ensure  my  enlarged  success.  In  this  confidence  let  me 
repose.  And,  "  may  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be 
with  us  all.     Amen  !  " 


Dr.  ROBINSON'S  Address. 


"  The  Christian  Church  :  her  heritage  received  from  the  fathers,  and 
her  consequent  responsibility." 

T  is  well  for  us  when,  like  Bunyan's  pilgrim,  we  have- 
pjl  reached  on  our  life  journey,  the  summit  of  some 
Delectable  Mountain,  to  look  back  along  the  way 
^  over  which  we  have  come,  and  where  too,  may  stilly 
be  seen  the  footprints  of  earlier  walkers ;  and  to  look  for- 
ward also,  to  catch,  if  we  may,  some  cheering  glimpses  of 
that  City  of  God  to  which  all  loyal  hearts  incessantly  turn. 
We  look  backward  that  we  may  gather  inspiration  for  the 
more  hopeful  and  courageous  onward  look.  We  look  back 
that  we  may  see  more  clearly  how  our  rich  and  happy 
present  sprung  out  of  the  })ast,  and  how  the  better  time 
coming  will  be  but  the  inevitable  outcome  of  the  forces  we 
are  using  to-day.  We  are  the  heirs  of  other  generations. 
But  a  {"ew  years  ago  entered  we  upon  our  large  possessions. 
We  may  have  enriched  and  enlarged  them,  but  it  was  not. 
as  paupers  we  began  our  lives.  We  trade  upon  the  capital 
of  the  past.  We  carry  on  the  labors  which  other  mea 
started  and  take  up  what  other  men  laid  down.  We  reap' 
in  fields  that  were  sowed  and  watered  by  many  preceding^ 
generations.  God  laid  upon  many  of  his  faithful  ones  irt 
the  past  a  long  and  painful  apprenticeship,  during  which 
they  toiled  much  and  received  little,  often  but  the  bread 
and  water  of  affliction.     The  spoils  of  their  long  conflict 


DR.  ROBINSON'S  ADDRESS.  3' 

are  heaped  about  us.  The  good  seed  sown  in  tears  is  now 
shedding  a  heavenly  fragrance  around  our  lives.  Some  of 
it  may  yet  blossom  and  bear  fruit  over  our  graves.  We 
cannot  separate  ourselves  from  our  sires.  The  passing 
ages  keep  up  a  running  account,  and  the  latest  generation 
is  always  the  heaviest  debtor.  What  we  get  from  the  past 
we  are  bound  to  hand  over  to  the  future  with  usury.  Woe 
to  us  if  there  be  any  default  in  the  payment. 

What  a  heritage  we  have  in  the  noble  men  of  all  the  past. 
All  Christly  lives  are  ours  that  were  ever  lived  under  the 
sun.  We  are  not  hampered  by  any  lines  of  race  or  nation 
or  church.  No  Babel  confusion  of  sects  shall  hinder  our 
unity  with  every  member  of  the  large  and  growing  Chris- 
tendom. Our  doors  open  of  their  own  accord  to  receive 
all  out  of  whose  lives  something  of  the  Infinite  love 
shines.  It  matters  not  whether  they  worship  in  cathedral, 
with  stately  ceremonial  and  solemn  chant,  or  in  some  hum- 
ble conventicle,  with  simple  rites  and  holy  psalm.  We 
cleave  to  the  Apostolic  succession  of  godly  men.  They 
are  our  ancestry  everywhere.  We  rejoice  to  recognize  the 
features  of  Jesus  anywhere,  and  his  followers  shall  never 
be  alien  to  our  hearts. 

Yet  with  that  broader  Catholic  spirit  that  embraces  peo- 
ple of  every  name  and  place  and  age  whose  lives  are  hid 
with  Christ  in  God,  we  confess  a  peculiar  attachment  to 
those  special  forms  of  our  common  Christianity  that 
hereditary  descent  and  family  training,  and  life-long  com- 
panionship  have  made  familiar  and  a  part  of  ourselves.. 
We  love  that  Presbyterianism  "  whose  seed  is  in  itself 
after  its  kind."  We  recall  with  elation  of  soul,  its  history. 
We  trace  our  genealogy  in  its  annals.  We  feel  its  blood 
throbbing  in  our  veins,  its  iron  in  our  wills.  We  make 
no  comparisons  between  it  and  other  forms  of  Christian 


32  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

faith.  We  assert  for  it  no  superiority.  We  do  not  fail  to 
remember  how  tlie  goodness  and  purity  of  it  have  again 
and  again  been  tarnished,  how  it  has  once  and  ao;ain  failed 
to  meet  the  demands  of  the  hour.  Yet  we  have  a  heritage 
■of  our  own.  We  have  a  history  that  runs  along  its  own 
lines.  We  look  back  upon  men  and  events  and  institu- 
tions and  policies,  upon  a  great  literature,  upon  a  theology 
upon  form  of  Christian  work,  upon  great  enterprizes  that 
are  pecuharly  our  own.  There  are  things  from  the  past 
which  have  come  into  our  possession  and  keeping — they 
are  tlie  things  who  under  God  have  moulded  us,  made  us 
the  people  we  are,  fashioned  our  churches,  inspired  our 
beliefs,  and  shaped  our  lives.  The  power  we  have  for  the 
world's  uplifting,  our  influence  upon  the  family,  society, 
the  state  for  good  or  ill,  what  we  are  to  Humanity,  what 
we  are  for  Christ,  cannot  be  se))arated  from  the  mould,  the 
spirit,  the  substance  of  our  Presbyterianism.  We  may 
well  remind  ourselves  often  of  all  in  the  past  that  is  pecu- 
liarly our  own.  We  may  recall  the  fact  that  ere  the  ses- 
sions of  that  memorable  assembly  of  learned  divines  and 
eminent  statesmen,  who  were  summoned  in  1643  to  meet 
in  the  chapel  of  Henry  VII  and  construct  our  standards 
of  doctrine  and  polity,  had  closed  their  session,  the  eyes 
and  thoughts  of  many  of  its  members  had  turned  to  this 
continent  beyond  the  sea  as  the  home  of  a  future  Church. 
Seventy  of  its  members  approved  a  plan  of  sending  colo- 
nies of  their  church  members  to  settle  in  America.  The 
plan  failed  for  the  hour,  but  later  the  seeds  of  Westminster 
were  wafted  hither  and  took  deep,  strong  root  in  American 
soil. 

What  a  heritage  of  Christian  song  has  come  down  to  us 
through  the  ages!  From  that  Redemption  Hymn  of 
Israel  by  the  Red  Sea,  when  the  voice  of  the  Church  of 


DR.  ROBINSON'S  ADDRESS.  33 

Ood  first  became  audible,  down  to  the  present,  one  genera- 
tion has  carried  on  to  another  the  accents  of  lioly  song. 
David,  from  the  sheepfold  and  from  the  throne,  led  the  Old 
Testament  harmonies.  The  Magnificat  of  the  blessed  vir- 
gin Mar}^,  mother  of  Jesus,  began  the  hjmnology  of  the 
New  Testament.  That  Mat«n  song  of  Christianity  lifted 
the  Name  that  is  above  ever}'  name,  and  taught  the  singers 
of  each  succeeding  age.  And  what  singers  the  Church  has 
had  in  all  the  Christian  centuries  !  And  they  with  their 
songs  are  all  ours  to-day  I  Ambrose,  filling  the  streets  of 
Milan  with  the  praises  of  Christ;  Gregory  calling  down  in 
sacred  song  the  celestial  fire  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  "  Come, 
O  Creator  Spirit,  come!"  Bernard,  hailing  in  immortal 
verse,  the  "  Sacred  Head  once  wounded  ;  "  Luther  giving 
the  German  people  their  hymn-book,  as  well  as  their 
Bible  ;  Wesley  guiding  the  feet  of  generations  to  the  Rock 
of  Ages  ;  Cowper  pointing  us  to  the  fountain  wliere  all 
sins  are  washed  away  ;  and  Watts  and  Newton  and  Keble 
and  Palmer,  and  the  great  choir  of  priestly  singers  who 
with  sweet  and  joj'ous,  or  with  deep  and  touching  hymns 
have  borne  the  heart  of  the  Church  heavenward;  what  a 
priceless  heritage  in  these  songs  that  never  grow  old  ! 

The  little  Presbytery  of  Harrisburg  which  a  quarter  of 
a  century  ago  installed  our  brother  as  pastor  over  this 
church  of  York,  was  born  when  storms  were  sweeping 
over  the  Presbyterianism  of  this  country.  The  Presbytery 
of  Carlisle  out  of  which  it  sprung,  lay  in  the  very  heart  of 
the  great  Scotch-Irish  settlement  that  filled  this  rjegion. 
The  people  and  their  pastors  were  all  alike  original  and 
thorough  Presbyterians  of  the  stricter  sort.  They  were 
averse  to  change  and  abhored  all  speculations  in  theology. 
Their  thoughts,  traditions  and  faith,  their  plans  and  hopes 
and  fears,  and  modes  of  Christian  work  were  everywhere 


34  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

the  same.  Tliey  were  the  worthy  descendants  of  those 
good  men  and  true  who  in  the  earliest  days  had  poured  in 
hither  in  streams  of  immigration  and  planted  their  homes 
along  the  very  borders  of  a  savage  wilderness.  The}'  came 
with  Bibles,  confessions,  catechisms,  with  an  ordained  and 
learned  ministry  with  ruling  elders,  ready  for  church 
organizations  and  all  the  forms  and  activities  of  both  priv- 
ate and  public  Christian  life.  The  home,  the  school  and 
the  church  rose  side  by  side.  Nowhere  was  education 
more  universal.  Tn  no  land  ujiOn  the  face  of  the  earth, 
save  perhaps  the  land  from  which  most  of  them  came,  was 
the  Bible  more  the  book  of  the  home,  and  nowhere  was 
there  a  greater  proportion  of  homes  that  were  intelligent 
and  heartily  and  openly  religious.  They  were  at  the  first 
and  for  many  years,  a  universally  sanctuary-going  and 
sanctuary -loving  people.  IMieir  manners  were  simple. 
Domestic  virtues  abounded.  They  were  sound  in  the  faith, 
sober  in  mind,  frugal  and  thrifty  in  their  habits,  intense  in 
their  love  of  civil  and  religious  liberties,  loyal  and  law- 
abiding,  but  ready  and  bold  to  withstand  oppression  and 
resist  wrong.  They  filled  these  valleys  with  the  fruits  of 
physical,  intellectual  and  Christian  culture.  What  length- 
ened rolls  of  renowned  and  sainted  men,  ministers  and  lay- 
men, might  be  written  from  the  days  of  ANDERSON  and 
Thompson  and  Elder,  and  the  Craigheads,  down  to  the 
later  days  with  our  own  memories  of  Cathcart,  and 
Creigh  and  Hamper  and  DeWitt. 

It  might  have  been  supposed  that  when  trouble  came 
such  a  class  of  people  would  stand  together.  And  they 
did  so  for  the  most  part.  It  was  but  a  meager  handful 
that  went  forth  from  the  parent  church  in  this  region  :  but 
four  churches  of  any  special  strength  in  a  country  stretch- 
ing  along  the  Susquehanna  for  one  hundred   and  thirty 


DR.  ROBINSON'S  ADDRESS.  ^5 

miles.  It  required  courage  of  the  highest  kind,  the  deep- 
est convictions  and  the  purest  motives  for  that  small  and 
scattered  minority  to  go  forth  and  stand  so  lonely  amid  a 
great  mass  of  sister  churches  with  whom  they  had  shared 
the  closest  fellowship  for  half  a  century  and  more.  Into 
the  causes  of  tliat  separation  it  is  not  necessary  to  enter. 
Enough  to  say,  the  men  that  formed  that  little  Presbytery 
had  no  new  and  strange  theology  to  defend,  no  changes  in 
church  order  to  propose,  no  new  forms  of  church  worship 
or  new  measures  of  church  work  to  present.  They  were 
like  their  brethren  about  them.  They  only  felt  that  a 
wrong  had  been  done  against  which  they  could  protest  in 
no  other  and  better  way,  and  they  went  forth  to  live  and 
believe,  to  work  and  to  preach  as  they  had  been  wont  to 
do  for  years. 

For  nearly  the  third  of  a  century  these  few  and  scattered 
churches  and  their  pastors  wrought  on,  until  the  grass  had 
grown  green  over  the  old  battle-fields,  the  war  cries  had 
ceased,  and  the  memories  of  past  strifes  had  nearly  faded 
away. 

Christian  affections  had  meanwhile  been  reasserting 
themselves.  Hands  had  readied  across  the  narrow  lines 
of  separation.  Theological  affinities  were  too  strong  for 
resistance.  The  children  of  the  early  and  common  house- 
hold could  not  stay  apart,  and  twenty  years  ago  they  came 
togetlier  to  find  that  the  spirit  and  the  faith  of  the  same 
ancestry  lived  equally  in  them  all. 

When,  thirty-six  years  ago,  the  hand  of  a  gracious  Provi- 
dence drew  n)e  to  tliis  favored  region  where  five  generations 
of  my  ancestry  had  lived,  and  where  some  of  them  were 
laid  to  rest,  my  lot  w^is  cast  in  this  little  Presbytery  of 
Harrisburg.  Some  of  its  founders,  the  solid  and  scholarly 
Kennedy  of  Welch-Eun  Church,   and  the  venerable  and 


36  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

beloved  Cathcart  of  tins  church,  had  passed  away  full  of 
lionors.  Of  other  men  who  were  with  them  and  continued 
for  years  in  the  care  of  the  cliurches,  I  may  say  a  few- 
words.  Thesmallnessof  the  Presbytery  and  its  peculiar  posi- 
tion amid  a  greatly  preponderating  number  of  Old  School 
churches,  tended  to  knit  pastors  and  churches  in  bonds  of 
strong  and  endearing  friendship.  We  felt  our  loneliness 
and  clung  to  each  other  with  the  greater  tenacity.  We 
visited  each  other's  houses  and  churches  as  personal  friends 
and  as  brothers  for  friendly,  household  greetings.  We  wel- 
comed each  otlier's  faces  and  clasped  each  other's  hands  with 
something  deeper  than  denominational  courtesy.  We 
assisted  each  other  at  communions  and  in  revivals  with  a 
tender  family  affection.  We  were  not  fellow-Presbyters  : 
we  were  brothers,  and  our  Presbyterial  meetings  were  far 
more  social  than  ecclesiastical.  We  conferred  and  prayed 
together  with  a  personal,  rather  than  an  official  spirit.  We 
talked  rather  than  debated.  Formality  and  stateliness  were 
banished.  Our  long  rides  together  in  visits  to  the  smaller 
and  feebler  churches  hidden  away  in  the  valleys,  the  wel- 
comes that  were  received  and  given,  the  days  that  we  con- 
trived to  spend  together  in  religious  exercises  and  brotherly 
conferences,  the  unreserve,  the  genial  warmth,  the  tender 
queries  about  each  other's  homes  and  churches  and  labors 
made  our  little  Presbytery  a  brotherhood,  rather  than  an 
ecclesiastical  court.  There  was  no  room  for  rivalries. 
Jealousies  were  unknown.  The  generous  regard  for  each 
other  was  as  touching  as  it  was  beautiful.  And  when  the 
time  came  to  dissolve  our  little  brotherhood  and  to  send  its 
churches  here  and  there,  and  its  nine  ministers  into  five  new 
and  larger  and  separate  Presbyteries,  where  they  would  but 
seldom  again  greet  ench  other,  there  were  hidden  tears  and 
quiet  heart-achings  that  others  wot  little  of! 


DR.  ROBINSON'S  ADDRESS.  37 

It  is  a  joy  to  speak  of  these  men  and  recall  their  goodly 
lives.  Sterling,  of  Williamsport,  gone  liome  to  God,  so 
kindly  and  open-hearted,  so  liberal  in  judgment,  so  earnest 
in  preaching,  so  devoted  in  life ;  DeWitt  of  Harrisburg, 
my  colleague  for  thirteen  years,  so  impressive  in  personal 
presence,  so  unquestioned  in  pulpit  power,  so  finished  as  a 
writer,  and  so  conservative  and  sound  in  theology  ;  the 
beloved  Dk.  Wing,  of  Carlisle,  who  united  to  a  pure  heart 
and  guileless  spirit  and  gentlest  manners,  an  intellect  so 
clear,  a  mind  so  stored  with  rich  and  varied  learning,  and 
powers  of  attractive  presentation  of  truth  sur[)assed  by  few 
of  his  generation.  Nor  these  men  only  !  What  noble  and 
ever-to-be-remembered  men  we  had  in  the  ruling  eldership 
of  our  churches,  men  worthy  to  stand  by  the  best  of 
pastors  as  counsellors  and  ensamples  to  the  flock :  John 
B.  Hall,  of  Williamsport,  and  Peter  Wilson,  of  Spring 
Mills,  men  of  unflinching  faith  and  irreproachable  life,  and 
unending  goodness ;  James  W.  and  John  A.  Weir, 
brothers  in  blood,  and  heroes  in  service ;  the  first  a  Nestor 
in  wisdom,  a  prince  both  in  prayers  and  alms,  a  captain 
among  the  elect ;  the  second,  an  apostle  of  love,  a  Barnabas 
in  consolation,  a  child  in  his  guileless  qualities  for  Christ's 
Kingdom. 

And  in  this  church,  for  many  years,  among  other  excellent 
men  there  were  these  who  especially  attracted  my  admira- 
tion, and  won  my  heart :  Dr.  H.  M.  McClellan,  quick, 
thoughtful,  sagacious,  true  in  judgment;  Dr.  James  W. 
Kerr,  impulsive  in  noble  ways,  inspiring  in  his  enthusiasm, 
sanguine  in  his  hopes,  large  in  charities  ol  heart  and 
charities  of  life  ;  Samuel  Small,  so  calm  and  self-poised,  so 
gentlemanl}'-  in  his  bearing,  so  unwearied  in  service,  so 
princely  in  heart  and  hand ;  David  E.  Small,  so  broad- 
minded  and  high-hearted,  so  full  of  divine  fire  that  the 


38  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

coldest  natures  felt  the  warmth  of  his  sympathetic  presence 
and  admired  his  loyalty  to  Christ  and  the  Church. 

As  memory  busies  itself  in  recalling  the  men  and  scenes 
of  the  past,  the  everlasting  friendships  formed  with  good 
men,  who  by  their  counsels  kept  our  wayward  feet  upon  the 
track  divine;  the  glad  revivals  where  together  we  rejoiced 
over  sinners  coming  home  to  God;  the  happy  gathering  of 
brethren  in  the  ministry  and  the  eldership  where  we  were 
sure  of  loving  recognition  and  Christian  fellowship,  I  can- 
not cease  to  congratulate  myself  that  so  large  a  part  of  my 
life  was  spent  amid  so  excellent  environments  :  and  con- 
gratulate my  brother  also,  that  he  too,  was  led  hither  by  a 
Gracious  Hand,  and  has  spent  so  many  years  among  the 
good  and  enduring  things  of  this  region  that  God  has  per- 
petually blessed. 

Following  Dr.  Eobinson,  Eev.  Dr.  Paxton  made  some 
felicitous  remarks  in  regard  to  the  history  of  Presbyterian- 
ism  in  this  region,  going  back  to  the  early  days  when  his 
own  grandfather  was  the  only  minister  of  our  denomination 
in  that  part  of  the  original  York  county  which  is  now  known 
as  Adams  county,  and  Dr.  Cathcart,  his  contemporary, 
was  the  onl}'  one  in  this  county.  His  descriptions  of  the 
long  and  faithful  labors  of  these  worthy  men,  and  of  the 
influence  which  they  exerted  far  and  wide  for  moulding 
the  character  of  Christian  people  in  this  extended  region, 
were  very  interesting  and  instructive. 

The  exercises  of  this  morning  service  were  closed  with 
prayer  by  Rev,  Dr.  Cattell. 


CHILDREN'S  Service. 


-N  the  afternoon  at  one  o'clock,  tlie  Primary  Department 
of  the  Siinday-scliool,  assembled  in  the  usual  place  in 
the  chapel,  which  had  just  been  enlarged  and  beauti- 
^^  fied  and  newly  furnished.  Many  parents  and  friends 
of  the  little  ones  were  also  present,  and  an  air  of  festive 
gladness  seemed  to  be  felt  by  every  one.  Brief  addresses  to 
the  school  were  made  by  Messrs  Crawford  and  Cattell, 
and  the  scholars  gave  some  of  their  recitations  and  songs. 

YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  SERVICES. 

At  two  o'clock  the  other  departments  of  the  school, 
together  with  the  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian 
Endeavor,  and  a  goodly  portion  of  the  congregation  filled 
the  church,  where  the  following  exercises  were  held  under 
direction  of  the  superintendent.  Elder  John  M.  Brown: 

1.  Anthem  by  the  choir. 

2.  Remarks  by  Dr.  Niles,  describing  his  introduction  to 
the  Sunday-school  twenty-five  yeai's  ago,  in  the  little  frame 
building  where  it  then  met;  recalling  the  names  of  certain 
who  then  were  scholars,  but  now,  some  are  teachers,  some 
are  [)arents  of  scholars,  some  are  laboring  elsewhere,  and 
some  have  gone  to  Heaven. 

'3.  Prayer  by  the  Superintendent. 

4.  Hymn — "  I  hope  to  meet  you  all." 

5.  Remarks  by  John  H,  Small,  Jr.,  President  of  the  Y. 


40  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

P.  S.  C.  E.,  in  which  he  sketched  the  origin,  object  and 
wonderful  growth  through  the  country  of  this  training- 
school  of  the  church.  In  this  church  the  society  has  over 
100  members,  and  it  is  steadily  increasing  in  numbers  and 
usefulness. 

6.  Hymn — "  Harvest  Time." 

7.  Eernarksby  Drs.  Erskine,  Cattell  and  Paxton. 

8.  Hymn — "  Go  labor  on." 

9.  Prayer  by  Dr.  Murphy, 

10.  Benediction. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of 

Dr.  Erskine's  Remarks. 

"The  three  great  instrumentalities  for  the  religious 
instruction  of  the  young,  are  the  home,  the  school  and  the 
church.  The  father  is  by  divine  appointment,  the  prophet, 
priest  and  king  of  his  household.  On  him  rests  the  obliga- 
tion to  see  that  the  family  is'  trained  up  in  the  knowledge, 
worship  and  service  of  God. 

"The  first  great  religous  truth  impressed  upon  the  mind 
of  Presbyterian  youth  is  the  answer  to  the  question, 
'  What  is  the  chief  end  of  man  ?  '  This  answer  has  con- 
tributed much  to  form  tiie  character  and  guide  the  lives  of 
our  people.  Sir  William  Hamilton,  the  noted  Scottish 
philosopher,  has  said  that  'the  great  end  of  man  is  man.' 
These  two  statements  will  be  seen  to  harmonize  perfectly, 
the  moment  we  realize  that  the  more  fully  we  are  developed 
physically,  intellectually,  morally  and  spiritually,  the  more 
of  an  honor  will  we  be  to  our  Creator,  and  the  more  praise 
will  we  bring  to  His  great  name. 

"God's  glory  is  the  end  of  all  things.  We  glorify  God  in 
proportion  as  we  make  Him  known.     He  rolled  the  planets 


DR.   ERSKINE'S  REMARKS.  41 

upon  their  orbits,  that  lie  might  make  known  His  natural 
perfections — His  wisdom,  goodness  and  power.  He  made 
man  in  His  own  image,  in  knowledge,  righteousness  and 
holiness,  that  we  might  reflect  His  own  moral  attributes — 
His  holiness,  justice,  goodness  and  truth.  He  permitted 
man  as  a  {\ee  moral  agent  to  be  tempted  and  to  fall,  and 
overruled  it  to  His  greater  glory  in  the  redemptive  work 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  God's  character  and  perfections 
and  will  -were  more  fully  revealed  in  the  Book  of  Divine 
Eevelation  and  in  the  person,  character,  life,  death  and 
resurection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Nowhere  in  all  the 
universe  has  there  been  such  a  discovery  of  the  Divine 
perfections  as  in  the  life  and  character  of  the  Son  of  God 
Incarnate.  All  moral  perfections  are  revealed  in  Him,  and 
a  flood  of  divine  glory  was  poured  forth  upon  the  cross. 
To  this  cross  all  the  historic  lines  of  previous  dispensations 
converge.     From  it  all  subsequent  historic  lines  irradiate. 

"The  great  aim  of  a  religious  education  should  be  to 
restore  in  us  the  image  of  God,  and  to  secure  for  each 
department  of  our  nature  the  highest  possible  strength  and 
development. 

"  1.  The  first  and  lowest  part  of  our  nature  to  be  trained 
for  the  activities  of  life  is  our  physical  or  bodily  nature. 
There  is  not  a  limb  or  faculty  of  the  body  but  has  its 
office.  Nothing  is  superfluous.  Every  limb  or  member 
should  therefore  be  most  religiously  preserved  and  strengh- 
ened.  This  is  what  has  been  called  muscular  Christianity. 
The  importance  of  a  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body  had  a 
high  place  among  the  ancients.  Our  modern  sports  and 
gymnasiums  are  designed  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  young 
in  this  respect.  These  are  all  well  enough,  provided  they 
are  not  allowed  to  run  to  excess.  We  are  not  to  put  that 
highest  which  God  has  put  lowest.     Let  the  physical  health 


42  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

and  strength  of  our  youth  be  preserved.  Let  the  best 
methods  to  secure  this  result  be  employed.  Let  tliein,  like 
the  ancient  athletes  and  the  motlern  combatants,  be  put 
under  a  strict  regimen  as  to  diet,  exercise,  and  as  to  all 
that  will  intoxicate.  Let  right  habits  in  all  res{)ects  be 
formed  and  sustained.  Let  our  youth  beware  of  indolence 
which  relaxes  all  the  energies.  Let  them  shun  the  vices 
which  are  most  expensive  and  destructive  of  all  the  vital 
forces.  The  best  laws  of  health  and  happiness  are  the  Ten 
Commandments.  Let  all  our  scholars  know  and  take  heed 
to  what  is  required  and  forbidden  in  them.  The  weakness 
of  our  present  Christianity  is  the  lack  of  a  high  standard  of 
morality.  Reproach  has  been  cast  upon  the  Sabbath- 
school  in  some  quarters,  by  reason  of  the  number  of  those 
connected  with  it  who  have  fallen  into  gross  crimes. 

"2.  The  second  part  of  our  nature  calling  (or  education  is 
the  intellect.  To  secure  this  is  the  chief  if  not  the  exclusive 
aim  of  too  many  of  our  schools  and  colleges.  Their  aim 
is  to  develop  and  sharpen  the  intellectual  (acuities,  tiie  per- 
ceptive and  the  reflective:  the  reason,  the  memory,  the 
iudo-ment  and  the  imagination.  The  tendencv  to  over- 
estimate  the  importance  of  intellectual  culture  to  the 
neglect  of  moral  and  spiritual  develoi)ment,  makes  it  all 
the  more  important  that  the  moral  and  spiritual  nature 
should  receive  the  most  careful  and  assiduous  training  in 
the  Sabbath-school  and  the  Church,  if  our  youth  are  to  be 
prepared  for  the  great  battle  of  life.  Right  moral  principles 
must  be  inculcated  upon  our  youth.  The  precepts  of  the 
moral  law  should  be  deeply  impressed  u|)on  them  from 
cliildhood  up.  Right  moral  habits  should  be  enforced 
upon  all  the  members  of  the  household.  The  children 
should  be  taught  to  know  God  and  to  exercise  toward 
Him,  from  their  earliest  childhood,  a  reverential  and  filial 


DR.  ERSKINE'S  REMARKS.  43 

fear.  Tliev  should  be  trained  to  habits  of  truthfulness, 
honesty,  temperance  and  chastity,  as  in  His  presence  from 
the  earliest  period  of  their  youth. 

"3.  But  when  thus  trained  physically,  intellectually  and 
morally,  if  their  spiritual  natures  are  suffered  to  remain 
undeveloped,  they  must  signally  fail  to  attain  the  great  end 
of  human  existence.  The  first  great  need  of  all  is  to  learn 
their  true  condition  in  relation  to  God  and  the  life  to  come. 
The  fact  of  the  fall,  and  of  the  general  spiritual  wreck  and 
ruin  of  the  race,  and  of  the  absolute  necessity  of  the  new 
birth,  are  fundamental  truths  in.  all  religious  training. 
Ex(;ept  we  are  born  again  we  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
<jrod.  It  is  only  the  regenerate  that  come  to  a  saving 
knowledge  of  Christ,  and  to  the  exercise  of  true  faith  in 
Him.  It  is  only  such  that  live  a  holy  life  and  are  saved. 
To  bring  us  thus  to  the  knowledge,  image,  favor  and  com- 
munion of  God,  is  the  great  end  of  the  training  of  the 
Sabbath-school  and  of  the  Church. 

"The  great  instrumentalities  in  order  to  this  religious 
training,  are  the  Bible,  the  catechisms  of  the  Church,  and 
a  sound  Christian  literature.  The  Bible  is  the  text-book. 
Presbyterians  have  well  been  characterized  by  Green,  the 
English  historian,  as  'the  peoi)le  of  a  book,  and  that  book 
is  the  Bible.'  And  'their  religion,'  said  Carlisle,  'was 
the  chief  fact  about  them."  Then  no  one  can  overestimate 
the  indebtedness  of  our  Church  to  the  Shorter  Catechism, 
It  has  given  to  our  people  definite  knowledge  as  to  the 
fundamental  truths  of  Christianity.  It  has  made  them  a 
stable  people  in  the  midst  of  all  the  fluctuations  of  religious 
opinions  about  them.  It  has  been  to  them  a  declaration 
of  the  things  most  surely  believed  among  us.  It  has  served 
as  a  protest  against  error.  It  has  proved  a  bond  of  union 
and    a   means   of  instruction   and   growth.      Such,    then, 


44  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

teachers  and  scholars,  aiul  all  that  are  here  assembled,  is^ 
the  fourfold  education  which  we  all  need.  This  alone  will 
fit  ns  for  the  highest  usefulness  here,  and  for  the  greatest 
happiness  hereafter." 

M 

Dr.  Cattell  followed  in  an  address  sparkling  with. 
humor  and  freighted  with  words  of  wise  counsel  to  the 
young,  and  he  in  like  manner  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
Paxton  who  spoke  with  impressive  effect  upon  "  the  stuff  ^*' 
of  which  successful  men  are  made. 

Both  addresses  were  much  enjoj'ed  by  the  whole  congre- 
gation, old  and  young,  and  we  greatly  regret  that  they 
cannot  be  reproduced  in  full. 


Sunday  Evening, 

SEVEN    O'CLOCK. 


Union  Services  with  the  Calvary  and  Westminster  Churches. 
General  Subject  .-—THE  PASTORAL  OFFICE,— ITS  NATURE, 
Kelations  and  Influence. 

Fw,  HE  church  was  crowded  in  every  part,  and  to  the 
end  intense  interest  in  the  exercises  was  manifested. 


Tlie  choir  rendered  the  "  Te  Deum  in  C,''—Shyrock. 
^^  The  Scripture  Lesson  was  read  by  Rev.  Wil- 

MER  McNair,  pastor  of  the  Westminster  Church. 

Dr.  Erskine  led  in  prayer,  after  which  Dr.  Murphy 
spoke  with  impressive  effect  on  Hereditary  Influence— & 
subject,  he  said,  intimately  connected  with  that  which  had 
been  announced. 

Dr.  Murphy's  Address. 

"  Hereditary  influence  is  a  fact  of  surpassing  practical 
importance.  It  is  bound  up  with  God's  covenant  with 
His  church  and  people,  and  it  has  such  splendid  illustra- 
tion in  the  anniversary  events  of  this  day  and  evening, 
that  we  ought  not  to  fail  of  giving  it  careful  consideration. 

"The  influences,  the  blessed  fruits  of  whicli  we  see  in  the 
grand  history  of  this  church,  this  faithful  pastor,  this 
earnest  congregation,  and  these  brethren  who  were  associ- 
ated in  theological  study  so  long  ago,  had  their  spring  at 


46  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

least  two  hundred  3'ears  before,  and  t\iey  are  still  going  on 
with  ever  renewed  vigor.  Their  very  first  trace  we  find 
from  a  woman,  blessed  and  faithful — a  woman  whose  name 
even  was  not,  until  very  recently,  found  on  any  printed 
page.  To  her,  more  than  to  any  other  human  being,  our 
church  is  indebted.  To  her,"au  humble  girl  in  the  north 
of  Ireland,  we  are  to  trace  back  the  influences,  one  splendid 
branch  of  which,  out  of  tens  of  thousands,  we  are  very 
justly  admiring  to-day.  Her  name,  but  recently  discovered 
in  tlie  records  of  the  court  of  Bucks  county,  found  there  on 
a  deed — the  name  of  Catharine  Kennedy,  should  find  a 
most  honored  {)lace  in  the  history  of  our  Church. 

"Unseen,  unheralded,  almost  unknown,  her  influence  was. 
deeper,  stronger,  wider  and  more  lasting  than  any  other  in 
our  annals.  An  Irish  girl,  brought  up  in  a  Presbyterian 
manse  in  an  atmosphere  of  religion,  her  mind  stored  with 
sacred  truth,  she  could  not  probably  remember  the  time 
when  she  did  not  supremely  love  her  God.  God  was  pre- 
paring her  for  a  life  record  probably  equalled  by  that  of 
no  other  human  being  in  influence  for  weal  on  this  land. 
A  finer  instance  the  world  has  hardly  ever  beheld  of  uncon- 
scious influence. 

"She  was  married  in  1702  to  a  young  Episcopal  clergy- 
man recently  graduated  from  Trinity  College  in  Dublin,  of 
fine  mental  endowments  and  culture.  How  much  had  she 
to  do  through  her  godly  example  and  refined  tact  in  leading 
him  to  leave  the  Church  of  his  fathers  and  enter  that  of  the 
Presbyterian  name?  How  much  in  establishing  him  in 
the  doctrines  and  order  of  his  adopted  faith? 

"  A  few  years  are  passed  in  their  native  country,  part  of 
the  time  in  County  Amagh,  and  part  in  Coleraine,  County 
Antrim.  Four  sons  are  born  to  them,  Gilbert,  and  Wil- 
liam, and  John,  and  Charles.     With  no  permanent  settle- 


DR.   MURPHY'S  ADDRESS.  47 

ment  for  them  at  liorne,  and  an  increasing  family  to  be 
educated,  an  earnest  call  came  for  mis.sionaries  in  America. 
Shall  they  go?  Who  can  tell  how  much  the  godly  wife's 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  her  maternal  care  for  the 
future  of  her  boys,  and  her  strong,  earnest,  sanctified  good 
sense  had  to  do  with  bringing  her  husband,  the  Rev.  Wm, 
Tennent  to  this  land  ?  They  reach  it,  but  only  to  find  it 
a  little  removed  from  an  absolute  wilderness.  How  much 
had  her  patient  endurance  and  comforting  words  to  do  with 
cheering  her  sometimes  desponding  husband  in  those  trying 
days ! 

"The  Log  College  is  founded.  Where  was  she  then? 
Would  it  ever  have  been  built  without  her  counsel,  her 
cheer  and  her  self-sacrifice?  And  now  we  see  her  in  her 
best  estate — her  husband  to  encourage,  her  family  to  sus- 
tain by  her  careful  economy,  new  boys  to  receive  into  her 
household  as  students  of  the  school,  or  to  provide  for  them 
in  the  neighborhood.  We  fancy  all  these  boys  coming  to 
her  as  to  a  mother,  telling  her  of  their  doubts  and  fears  and 
looking  to  her  for  advice  in  all  their  troubles.  She  receives 
them,  too,  into  her  motherly  confidence,  cheers  them  in 
their  homesickness,  nurses  them  in  their  ailments,  counsels 
them  in  difficulties, 

"Brave  Catharine!  thy  name  is  not  heralded,  but  God 
knows  how  much  thy  tender  wisdom  contributed  to  making 
the  Log  College  the  unspeakable  blessing  it  became  to  the 
Church  and  to  the  country  ! 

"But  the  effects  of  her  influence  were  only  beginning  to 
be  seen  there.  Would  those  boys  ever  have  been  the  great 
and  good  men  which  they  afterwards  became,  had  it  not 
been  for  her  agency  in  forming  their  character?  Her  daily 
care  over  them,  her  yearning  love  for  their  souls,  the 
charming   power   of  her   godly  example,  her  affectionate 


48  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

lessons  of  piety,  her  exalted  Christian  principles  and  her 
self-control  and  self-sacrifices — these  were  unseen  influences 
wiiich  she  could  impart,  and  whicli  she  did  impart,  with 
all  the  tenderness  of  the  woman  and  the  mother.  Thus 
she  aided  in  establishing  their  deepest  and  purest  principles 
and  rendei'ing  the  most  important  assistance  in  forming 
their  character. 

"Afterward  they  went  forth,  preaching  the  gospel  in  every 
quarter,  bringing  thousands  of  souls  to  Christ,  building  up 
churches  in  many  regions,  establishing  schools  and  acade- 
mies, some  of  them  almost  as  influential  as  the  one  in  whicli 
they  had  received  their  own  training  for  the  ministry  of 
the  gospel,  and  starting  streams  of  godly  influence  that 
flowed  over  the  whole  land,  the  currents  of  which  have  not 
subsided  even  to  the  present  day.  Nottingham  Academy, 
Faggs  Manor,  Pequea,  Jefferson  College,  Hampden  Sidney 
College  of  Virginia,  Princeton  College  and  many  other 
institutions  are  monuments  to  the  power  and  perseverance 
of  this  blessed  wonian,  whom  God  raised  up  and  graciously 
led  all  her  days,  to  leave  a  sanctifying  impress  upon  our 
history. 

"Where  is  there  another  person  who  originated  such 
chains  of  godly  influences  as  these?  After  what  she  did, 
who  shall  claim  that  they  occupy  positions  too  obscure  for 
them  to  accomplish  anything  in  the  great  cause  of  Christ 
for  the  redemption  of  the  lost  world !  Whoever  at  any 
time  attemj)ts  to  write  the  history  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  these  United  States  of  America,  let  him  give  to 
the  name  of  Catharine  Kennedy  a  place  of  honor  that 
shall  be  second  to  no  other,  or,  rather,  let  him  place  it 
above  all  the  rest. 

•:    "Following  down  the  stream  of  influences  which  had  this 
humble  but  most  blessed  origin,  we  come  next  to  the  ten 


DR.   MURPHY'S  ADDRESS.  49 

Log  College  evangelists,  Gilbert,  William  Jr.,  John  and 
Charles  Tennent,  Samuel  Finly,  Samuel  and  John 
Blair,  William  Eobinson,  John  Rowland  and  Charles 
C.  Beatty.  All  these  imbibing  the  earnest  evangelical, 
and  well-trained  spirit  of  the  Log  College,  and  each  of  tliem 
appointed  to  a  different  branch  of  the  work,  w^ent  out  to  the 
glorious  calling  of  spreading  the  gospel,  and  sound  learning, 
and  devoted  piety  over  the  whole  country.  And  won- 
drously  was  God  with  them,  so  that  the  land  received  a 
new  impress  from  their  day  forward. 

"  We  next  select  a  simple  branch  of  these  influences  as 
they  flowed  on  and  spread  abroad,  that  which  was  connected 
with  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  John  Rowland,  one  of  the 
favored  ten.  His  short  ministry  was  one  continued  scene 
-of  most  blessed  outpourings  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  was 
•eminently  the  revivalist  of  this  apostolic  company.  One  of 
the  most  highly  blessed  fields  of  his  preaching  was  in  the 
region  of  the  Schuylkill  river,  some  twenty-five  miles  from 
Philadelphia.  Among  those  who  were  savingly  interested 
in  that  blessed  work  of  grace  were  the  grandfather  and 
grandmother  of  Rev.  Archibald  Alexander.  It  was 
eminently  a  memorable  day  in  our  Zion,  and  a  happy  day 
for  our  land,  when  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  was  ratified  in 
that  family.  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander,  what  endless 
streams  of  sacred  influence  was  he  the  instrument  of  open- 
ing!  Placed  at  the  head  of  Princeton  Seminary,  when  it 
was  first  opened  for  the  training  of  young  men  for  the 
gospel  ministry,  and  continued  therein  for  nearly  forty 
years,  who  can  estimate  the  grandeur  of  the  work  to  which 
he  was  called !  Nearly  forty  j^ears,  forty  classes,  one  every 
year  leaving  that  school  of  the  prophets — thousands  in  all, 
many  of  whom  have  been  among  the  most  godly  and  suc- 
cessful ministers  of  our  whole  Church!      Then  when  we 


so  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

consider  the  spirit  which  he  infused  into  these  young  men — 
his  own  spirit  of  simple  piety,  earnest  godliness,  sound  and 
sanctified  common-sense,  how  can  we  sufficiently  admire 
that  wonderful  stream  of  influence? 

"  Take  as  a  sample  of  what  it  was,  the  single  class,  a  body 
of  whose  surviving  members  are  here  to-day  to  sympathize 
and  rejoice  with  our  Brother  Niles,  who  was  one  of  our 
number.  Here  is  Brother  Crawford,  spared  for  forty 
years,  and  permitted  to  work  on  with  faithfulness  and  hope 
and  love  as  God  gave  him  strengtli  in  tliis  region  of  the 
great  vineyard.  Here  is  Brother  Erskine,  a  theological 
standard-bearer  of  our  Church,  the  able  editor  for  years  of 
one  of  the  most  influential  journals  of  our  beloved  Presby- 
terianism,  and  the  pastor  who  is  himself  a  power  for  truth 
and  Christ.  Here  is  Brother  Paxton,  who  has  nobly  stood 
in  the  high  places  of  our  Zion,  as  pastor  of  churches  which 
exerted  the  widest  influence  in  the  whole  general  assembly, 
and  now  as  professor  in  the  seminary,  where  we  all  once 
sat  at  the  feet  of  the  sainted  Alexander,  and  Miller  of 
whom  he  is  the  honored  successor.  Here  is  our  beloved 
Brother  Niles,  the  five  and  twentieth  anniversary  of  whose 
pastorate  in  this  church  we  are  joining  to  celebrate.  How 
well  God  has  enabled  him  to  do  his  work  here,  we  have 
heard  with  wonder  and  joy.  How  much  he  is  beloved  by 
this  dear  people  we  see  in  the  outgushing  of  affection  which 
is  manifested  by  every  method  by  which  it  could  be  made 
known. 

"  And  here  is  our  beloved  and  honored  Brother  Cattell 
also  with  us  in  these  delightful  ceremonies.  Though  not  a 
member  of  the  same  class  with  us,  he  was  so  near  that  we 
may  adopt  him,  at  least  for  this  occasion.  To  say  nothing 
of  the  work  he  first  did  as  pastor  of  one  of  our  most  influ- 
ential churches,  and  of  the  work  he  is  now  doing  as  secre* 


DR.  PAXTON'S  REMARKS.  51 

tary  of  the  Board  of  Ministerial  Relief,  who  shall  descril)e 
his  grand  work,  for  many  years  as  the  president  of  La 
Fayette  College.  On  how  many  young  men  did  he  e.xert 
an  influence  that  will  tell  evermore. 

"And  so  we  might  speak  of  forty  classes  which  up  to  our 
day  had  left  that  school  of  the  prophets  on  whom  Dr. 
Alexander  had  left  his  impress.  And  again  since  that 
day,  forty  other  classes  have  gone  forth  from  the  same 
centre,  to  exert  their  beneficent  power  on  the  world. 

"Thus  may  we  trace  that  single  line  of  godly  influence 
whioli  may  well  be  termed  hereditary. 

"Fully  two  centuries  and  an  half  ago  we  trace  its  spring 
in  Dr.  Kennedy,  an  eminently  godly  minister  of  Ulster, 
Ireland, — then  in  his  daughter  Catharine,  wife  of  tiie 
founder  of  the  Log  College, — then  in  the  blessed  ten  evan- 
gelists of  that  honored  institution, — then  in  the  great 
revival  under  Rowland, — then  in  the  conversion  of  the 
ancestors  of  Dr.  Alexander, — then  in  the  peerless  piety 
and  wisdom  of  that  blessed  man, — then  in  the  glorious 
history  of  Princeton  Seminary, — and  then  in  the  thousands 
who  with  ourf^elves  have  gone  out  from  that  God-honored 
institution.  Is  not  all  this  wonderful,  wonderful,  wonder- 
ful !  Is  not  the  hand  of  God  seen  moving  every  spring,  and 
directing  every  movement !  Is  He  not  true,  gloriously 
true  to  His  everlasting  covenant !  " 

Following  Dr.  Murphy,  Dr.  Paxton  spoke  with  great 
impressiveness  upon  the  subject  assigned  for  the  evening : 
The  pastoral  office,  as  appointed  by  God,  in  its  various 
relations  to  the  Church  and  to  society.  "  A  pastorate  such 
as  we  celebrate  now,"  he  said,  "  who  shall  estimate  its  full 
significance.     It  points  to 

"  Twenty-five  years  of  Bible  study. 


52  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

"  Twenty-five  years  of  prayer  and  walking  with  God. 

"Twenty-five  years  of  sympathy  with  the  sorrowing. 

"Twenty-five  years  of  watching  over  the  young  and 
tempted. 

"  Twenty-five  years  of  faithful  pulpit  service, 

"Twenty-five  years,  an  example  and  a  guide  for  others  in 
the  wa}'  to  Heaven. 

"  Whata  commenton  thecharacter  of  a  pastor  and  on  the 
love  and  devotion  of  a  people,  does  such  a  history  present !  " 

After  sinmno;  "Let  Zion's  Watchmen  all  Awake"  Dr. 
EoBiNSOX  followed  in  a  brief  address,  speaking  of  his  former 
associations  with  Dr.  Niles,  when  they  were  neighboring 
pastors,  and  of  the  pleasant  memories  which  came  to  his 
mind  on  this  glad  occasion. 

Dr.  Cattell  was  the  last  speaker,  who,  after  referring  to 
the  endowments  of  mind  and  heart  neccessary  alike  in 
minister  and  people  in  order  to  secure  long  and  happy 
pastorates,  said  somewhat  as  follows: 

"  We  are  all  indebted  to  Dr.  Murphy  for  the  interest- 
ing facts  he  stated  with  reference  to  Catharine  Kennedy. 
I  must  admit  tliat  I  never  before  heard  of  this  good  woman; 
but  now  that  I  have  learned  of  the  part  she  took,  nearly 
two  centuries  ago,  in  forming  the  character  of  our  dear  Dr. 
Niles,  I  shall  ever  cherish  for  her  a  deep  sense  of  personal 
gratitude.  For,  like  all  these  brethren  who  have  spoken,  I 
have  long  known  and  loved  the  Doctor ;  and  he  has  been 
so  helpful  to  me  in  the  Board  of  Ministerial  Relief  (of  which 
he  has  long  been  a  member)  that  I  often  wonder  how,  as  the 
executive  officer  of  the  Board,  I  could  have  got  along  with- 
out him.  All  the  kind  things,  therefore,  that  his  classmates 
and  Dr.  Robinson  have  said  about  my  honored  and 
beloved  friend,  I  wish  not  only  to  adopt  as  my  own  senti- 


DR.  CATTELL'S  REMARKS.  53 

ments,  but  1  want  to  say  them  over  again  in  italics!  And 
I  could  even  add  a  good  deal  more  !  Yes,  Catharine 
Kennedy  '  builded  better  than  she  knew'  for  me  and  for 
the  Board  of  Belief  and  for  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  for 
this  congregation,  when  she  started  the  influences  that  gave 
us  Dr.  Niles. 

"  But  I  more  than  suspect  I  know  somebody  who  has  had 
more  to  do  than  Catharine  had  in  forming  his  character 
and  in  thus  titting  him  for  the  great  work  lie  has  accom- 
plished for  you  and  for  us  all.  Every  man  is  pretty  much 
what  his  wife  makes  him.  This  is  specially  true  of  a 
minister.  About  ninety-nine  hundredths  of  whatever  good 
a  pastor  does  may  be  set  down  to  the  credit  of  a  blessed 
woman  in  the  manse  !  I  happen  to  know  something  of  the 
strong,  but  tender  and  gentle  influence  that  has  pervaded 
yonder  manse  and  made  it  one  of  the  sweetest  homes  on 
earth.  I  must  not  dwell  upon  this — but  well  do  I  know 
that  my  brother's  thoughts,  during  all  the  congratulations 
of  this  happy  anniversary,  have  constantly  and  with  a 
tender  and  manly  love  turned  toward  the  wife  who,  during 
all  these  twenty-five  years  of  his  labor  in  your  midst,  has 
stood  by  his  side. 

"  But  though  I  may  not  dwell  upon  what  she  has  been  to 
her  husband — nor  to  her  children,  who  have  grown  to  be 
manly  men  and  who  requite  her  love  and  care  with  filial 
devotion — I  must  remind  you  of  what,  as  your  pastor's 
wife,  she  has  been  to  you  and  to  your  children.  Her  name 
was  not  mentioned  in  the  Call  you  sent  to  her  husband  a 
quarter  of  a  century  ago,  but  you  know  what  she  has  done 
in  the  parish  work  all  these  years.  You  know  with  what 
untiring  energy,  with  what  exhaustless  love,  with  what 
refined  delicacy  and  tact  she  has  sought  out  ways  of  help- 
fulness among  you,  so  that  your  hearts  have  been  knit  to 


54  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

hers.  It  is  natural  that  her  husband  should  be  the  central 
figure  in  the  grateful  rejoicings  of  this  anniversary — she 
herself  would  have  it  so.  But  we  cannot  look  at  him  and 
not  think  of  her:  and  the  prayer  of  us  all  to  the  great 
Head  of  the  Church  is  that  for  yet  many,  many  years  her 
presence,  as  well  as  that  of  her  husband,  may  enrich  your 
lives." 

Tlie  choir  then  sang  a  beautiful  Easter  anthem.  Prayer 
was  offered  by  Eev.  George  L.  Smith  of  the  Calvary 
Presbyterian  Cliurch,  and  the  Benediction  was  pronounced 
by  Dr.  Niles,  after  vvliich  many  of  the  people  crowded 
around  tlie  pulpit  to  shake  tlieir  pastor's  hand  and  to  i-ejoice 
with  him  over  the  most  delighti'ul  and  memorable  service 
ever  known  in  the  history  of  the  church. 

The  following  from  an  editorial  which  appeared  next 
(Monday)  morning  in  the  York  Gazette,  may  properly  be 
inserted  here. 

"The  exercises  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  yester- 
day, commemorative  of  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the 
pastorate  of  Dr.  Niles  were  most  appro[)riate  and  well- 
calculated  profoundly  to  impress  both  pastor  and  people. 

"Evidently,  this  chui'ch,  during  the  period  under  review, 
has  been  most  prosperous,  and  that,  too,  in  the  very  best 
sense.  It  has  not  only  sent  off  two  additional  churches 
from  its  bosom,  but  it  has  also,  as  shown  by  the  following 
fiLiures,  contributed  an  amount  of  money  in  aid  of  the  dif- 
ferent departments  of  church  work,  truly  Christian  in 
character,  that  is  perfectly  astounding. 

"  Tiie  figures  are   as  follows  : 

"Expenses  for    Home   Purposes.         .         .         .  $130,000 
"  "    General  Assembly.  .  .         .  791 


FINANCIAL  RESULTS. 


55 


Total. 


F'oreign  Missions 

22,950 

Home  Missions.        .         .         .        . 

26,642 

Education 

5,659 

Publication 

3,156 

Sunday-school  Work. 

6,102 

Church  Erection. 

4,797 

Ministeral   Relief. 

11,027 

Freedmen  and   Lincoln  University 

10,599 

Sustentation. 

3,007 

Aid  for  Colleges. 

456 

Other  charities. 

.       13,774 

.  $238,960 

"  When  we  consider  for  what  this  large  sum  was  con- 
tributed, we  must  conclude  that  the  giving  of  much  of  it 
was  prompted  by  a  truly  Christian  spirit. 

"  Surely,  the  review,  as  presented  yesterday,  of  Dr.  Niles' 
pastorate  at  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  must  be  a 
source  of  very  great  comfort  and  encouragement  both  to  that 
gentleman  and  to  his  very  estimable  lady,  who  seems 
especially  endowed  with  those  rare  qualities  of  head  and 
heart,  so  necessary  for  the  successful  discharge  of  the 
arduous  and  delicate  duties  devolving  upon  a  pastor's  wnfe. 

"  Briefly,  it  would  seem  both  pastor  and  people  have  been 
especially  fortunate  in  tlie  relation  they  have  sustained  to 
each  other ;  and,  with  the  earnest  hope  that  the  health  and 
strength  of  the  former  may  be  graciously  vouchsafed  him 
for  many  years  to  come,  this  flourishing  church  should  con- 
tinue its  Christian  work  with  unabated  zeal." 


Congregational  Reception, 

TUESDAY  EVENING,  APRIL  8. 


T  seven  o'clock,  the  cliurch  was  crowded  by  mem- 
i\^  bers  and  friends  of  the  congregation,  together  with 
l|  the  Presbytery  of  Westminster  (which  had  ad- 
journed its  meeting  at  Wrightsville,  to  be  ])resent 
on  this  occasion)  and  ministers  of  different  denomina- 
tions in  the  city,  and  other  personal  friends  of  the  pastor. 
The  superb  decorations  of  Sunday  remained,  and  with  the 
addition  of  fresh  flowers,  gave  the  church  even  more  of  a 
festival  appearance  than  on  that  day.  After  an  organ 
voluntary,  the  choir  rendered  in  exquisite  style,  Wilkinson's 
"  Festival  Cantate  Domino,"  which  was  followed  by  a 
Prayer  of  Invocation  by  tlie  moderator  of  Presbytery, 
Prof.  Samuel  A.  Martin,  of  Lincoln  University. 

Dr.  McDougall,  president  of  the  York  Collegiate  Insti- 
tute, as  chairman  of  the  meeting,  in  a  felicitous  opening 
address,  welcomed  the  audience  in  behalf  of  the  committee 
of  arrangements,  and  introduced  the  speakers  for  the 
evening. 

After  another  beautiful  selection  by  the  choir,  Mr. 
Henry  Small,  chairman  of  the  committee  on  invitations, 
announced  a  variety  of  acknowledgments  and  congratulatory 
messages  received  by  post  and  telegraph.  Among  these 
was  one  from  Kev.  Dr.  Sunderland  of  Washington,  D.  C, 
which  conveyed  assurances  of  his  deep  interest  in  the  cele- 


CONGREGATIONAL  RECEPTION.  57 

brafcion,  and  said:  "From  personal  observation,  I  can 
testify  to  the  true  and  loyal  affection  of  your  people  for 
their  pastor.  And  I  congratulate  him  on  being  able  to 
hold  his  position  so  long,  on  one  of  the  most  prominent 
watchtowers  of  our  American  Zion.  Long  may  this  rela- 
tion of  pastor  and  people  endure.  And  may  God  shower 
His  blessings  upon  you  all." 

Other  communications  were  from  Rev.  Dr.  R.  M. 
Patterson  of  Philadelphia,  eloquent  with  congratulations 
and  good  Avishes; 

Dr.  E.  T.  Jeffers,  professor  in  Lincoln  University; 
Hon.  Judge  Furst  of  Bellefonte  ; 
Rev.  N.  G.  Parke,  D.  D.,  of  Pittston ; 
Rev.  E.  S.  Mapes  of  Carlisle,  for  himself  and  his  people 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church; 

Gen.  James  A.  Beaver,  Governor  of  Pennsylvania, 
regretting  his  inability  to  attend,  and  wishing  that  the 
future  years  may  be  even  yet  more  fruitful  of  good  results 
from  the  happy  union, 

A  letter  was  also  received  from  the  moderator  of  the 
General  Assembly,  Rev.  W.  0.  Roberts,  D.D.,  L.L.  D.,  of 
Lake  Forest  University,  Chicago,  in  which  he  says  :  "Not 
often  is  a  congregation  blessed  with  such  a  pastor,  and  from 
personal  knowledge,  I  can  add,  it  is  not  very  often  that  a 
good  pastor  has  such  a  people.  It  is  a  happy  occasion  all 
around.  May  the  union  continue  many  years  to  come. 
Enter  together  into  new  experiences  and  new  fields  for 
doing  good." 

H.  C.  Niles,  Esq.,  was  next  called  for,  who  made 
announcement  of  letters  addressed  directly  to  the  pastor, 
among  which  were: 

1st.  An  affectionate  and   beautiful  communication  from 


5S  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

Eev.  Dr.  Gotwald,  of  Springfield,  Ohio,  formerly  pastor 
of  St.  Paul's  Church,  York;  in  which  he  reviews  their  16 
years'  acquaintance,  and  particularly  the  period  when  side 
by  side,  in  this  city,  they  labored  with  utmost  harmony  and 
fraternal  cooperation.  "As  I  recall  these  delightful  mem- 
ories," he  says,  "and  think  of  all  that  you  have  been  to  me, 
instinctively,  from  the  vei'y  depth  of  my  heart  1  say:  God 
bless  you  my  dear,  constant  true,  brother  and  friend." 

2nd.  From  Rev.  Dr.  Nei^son  of  Philadelphia,  for  a  little 
while  before  the  war,  co- presbyter  with  Dr.  Niles  in  St. 
Louis,  recalling  the  anxieties  and  labors  of  those  ante  bellum 
days,  and  congratulating  him  on  the  peaceful,  happy,  fruitful 
quarter  century  God  has  since  given  him  in  York. 

3d.  From  Rev.  [Dr.  J.  J.  Porter  of  Phelps,  N.  Y.,  a 
friend  from  college  and  seminary  days,  and  also  a  neigh- 
boring pastor  in  St.  Louis  at  the  time  the  war  broke  out. 

4th.  From  Rev.  Joseph  K.  Wight,  a  classmate  at  Prince- 
ton Seminary,  now  in  Florida,  and 

5th.  A  similar  one  from  Rev.  Dk.  J.  Addison  Henry, 
of  West  Philadelphia.,  who  says:  "I  have  profound 
respect  for  the  man  who  preaches  in  one  pulpit  for  a  quarter 
-of  a  century:  but  outside  of  that,  I  have  an  affection  for 
you,  my  dear  brother,  which  but  for  special  engagements  on 
April  6th,  would  draw  me  to  the  scene  of  your  rejoicing." 

6th.  From  Rev.  Dr.  Matthews  of  London,  England, 
traveling  companion  with  our  pastor  some  years  ago  in 
Europe.  Had  he  carried  out  his  original  plan  to  leave 
Liverpool  for  New  York  March  19th,  he  could  easily  have 
been  here  to  share  in  the  gladness  of  this  occasion.  He 
adds:  "  We  have  here  a  dignitary  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  who  calls  himself  *Ebor'  because  he  is  Arch- 
bishop of  York.     What  peculiar  title  should  be  given  to 


CONGREGATIONAL  RECEPTION.  59 

you^  whom  we  may  call  the  Patriarch  of  York?  In  Eng- 
land an  archbishop  is  styled  '  His  Grace,'  but  in  the  Orient 
is  spoken  of  as  '  His  Beatitude.'  So,  my  brother,  we  have 
found  how  to  speak  of  yon^  to  whom  the  lines  have  fallen 
in  pleasant  places  !  " 

7th.  Next  from  Rev.  Dr.  Cuyler  of  Brooklyn,  who 
■exclaims:  "All  Hail!  my  beloved  Brother  Niles!  T 
reach  out  my  hand  to  you  in  sincere  congratulations.  You 
have  had  25  years  of  hard,  honest,  Heaven-blessed  work. 
The  sheaves  have  been  garnered,  and  the  harvester  has  a 
right  to  rejoice  and  be  thankful.  By  a  singular  coincidence, 
I  am  to  close  my  thirty  years'  delightful  pastorate  in  this 
noble  church,  on  the  very  same  morning  when  you  will  be 
•celebrating  your  'silver  nuptials.'  Well,  we  have  both 
had  a  happy  career  under  the  old  blue  Presbyterian  flag, 
and  will  have  some  things  to  talk  about  when  we  get  home 
to  'our  Father's  House'!  God  bless  you  on  and  on  and 
evermore,  until  the  glory  breaks  !  " 

8th.  Next,  one  in  happy  pleasantry  from  Rev.  M.  D. 
Babcock  of  Baltimore.  After  congratulations  to  pastor 
and  people,  he  says  :  "  I  will  not  express  my  amazement 
that  you  could  stand  each  other  so  long !  There  is  food 
for  wonder  in  it  all  the  same!  With  so  much  restlessness 
in  human  nature,  your  mutual  record  is  splendid.  Leibnitz's 
doctrine  of  '  Pre-established  Harmony  '  is  far  from  out- 
lawed !  God  bless  you,  and  increase  your  power  to  bless. 
And  may  God  bless  your  wife,  who  has  kept  you  in  hand 
so  long  and  saved  you  from  so  many  mistakes.  Perhaps 
the  quintessence  of  congratulation  would  be:  'To  the 
woman,  who  blessed  the  man,  who  blessed  the  church, 
which  blessed  the  town  of  York!  " 

9th.  Other  notes  of  congratulation   were  announced  as 


6o  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

from  :  Kevs.  G.  W.  Enders,  II.  11.  Weber,  A.  G.  Fastnaclit^ 
A.  M.  Barnitz,  and  B.  C.  Conner,  of  this  city ;  Messrs.  J.  H. 
Sternberg  of  Reading-,  F.  L.  Danfortli  of  Buffalo,  Hon. 
Alfred  Lockhart  of  Washington,  W.  II.  H.  Moore,  Esq.,  of 
New  York,  M.  C.  Parker  of  St.  Louis,  John  P.  Aniinidon 
of  Baltimore,  Rev.  John  Paul  Egbert  of  Buft'alo,  N.  Y., 
Rev.  J.  L.  ^Jenkins  D.D.,  of  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  Rev.  Dr.. 
Prime,  one  of  the  editors  ol"  the  New  York  Observer,  Rev. 
Dr.  Robbins  of  Philadelphia,  Rev.  D.  Bingham  of  Oxfoixl, 
Rev.  Dr.  Stryker  of  New  York,  Rev.  R.  P.  Cobb  of  Mer- 
chantville,  N.  J.,  Rev.  Prof.  Jones  of  Lincoln  University, 
Rev.  T.  Ralston  Smith  D.D.,  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  Dr. 
Joseph  T.  Smith  of  Baltimore,  Rev.  Dr.  F.  W.  Conrad,, 
editor  of  the  LiUheran  Observer,  Rev.  W.  L.  Ledvvith  of 
Philadelphia,  Rev.  Geo.  B.  Stewart  of  Ilarrisburg,  and  from 
Rev.  Henry  Darling  D.D.,  LL.D.,  President  of  Hamilton 
College,  who  preached  the  sermon  when  Dr.  Niles  was 
ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry,  by  the  Presbytery  of' 
Columbia. 

From  the  twin  brothers.  Rev.  D.  McClell.\n  Butt  and 
Rev.  Scott  Butt,  who  were  brought  up  and  educated  in 
this  church  and  are  now  laboring  as  home  missionaries  in 
South  Dakota.  One  of  them  writes  :  "  I  want  to  congrat- 
ulate you  upon  your  long  and  successful  pastorate;  and  also 
add  my  appreciation  of,  and  interest  in,  your  noble  work. 
You  see  I  still  call  you  "  Pastor,"  and  it  comes  naturally,. 
for  I  have  known  no  other.  To  brother  and  myself  you 
have  been  a  spiritual  father,  and  the  influence  you  exerted 
over  my  life  you  little  imagine.  From  my  earliest  recollec- 
tion you  have  been  to  me  an  example  and  a  counselor. 
Your  thoughts  and  words  have  been  a  great  help  to  me 
here  on  the  frontier,  and  as  I  remember  them  they  are 
sources  of  joy."     The  other  in  a  similar  strain  says  :     "  I 


CONGREGATIONAL  RECEPTION.  6i 

<5an  not  thank  you  enough  for  your  spiritual  training  and 
pastoral  interest,  and  you  shall  always  be  held  in  loving 
remembrance." 

Rev.  Dr.  Kendall  of  New  York,  senior  secretary  of  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions,  says:  "It  would  have  given  me 
great  pleasure  to  have  attended  the  25th  anniversary  (^f 
your  installation  at  York,  if  I  could  have  found  it  possible 
to  go.  I  hope  your  Historical  Review  will  be  jiublished 
■and  an  account  of  the  other  proceedings  and  that  I  may  be 
remembered  in  the  list  of  those  that  receive  it.  God  bless 
you  my  dear  brother,  and  prolong  your  days  and  your  use- 
fulness, is  the  prayer  of 

"  Yours  very  truly, 

''  II.  Kendall." 

After  these  announcements,  five  minute  addresses  were 
•called  for  by  the  chairman,  and  the  first  to  respond  was 
Rev.  Thomas  M.  Crawford,  who  spoke  in  substance,  as 
follows:  "While  there  are  those  present,  as  our  esteemed 
friend  Dr.  Heckman,  who  were  classmates  of  Dr.  Niles, 
^nd  others  who  stand  in  the  relation  of  co-presbyters,  I 
am  doubly  related,  being  both  classmate  and  co-presbyter. 
My  thoughts  very  naturally  carry  me  back  over  the  years, 
to  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  where  for  the  first  time 
we  met  as  fellow-students.  Soon  it  became  apparent  that 
•our  brother  was  an  earnest,  dilligent,  and  successful  student, 
possessed  of  a  spirit  of  earnest  and  consistent  piety,  and 
intellectually  above  the  average  of  his  class. 

"M^e  always  anticipated  for  Dr.  Niles  a  prominent  posi- 
tion in  the  Church.  This  anticipation  has  been  realized. 
The  expected  position  has  been  reached  and  is  now  recog- 
nized by  all  who  know  him. 

"These   beautiful  and  brilliant  surroundings,   which  so 


62  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

please  our  eyes,  and  cliarm  our  ears,  and  eidiven  our  spirits^ 
liave  a  deep  significance.  They  tell  the  story  of  twenty- 
five  years  of  unremitting  labor,  of  earnest  prayer,  of  thorough 
organization,  of  careful  thought,  of  incessant  effort,  of  close 
study  and  of  requited  toil. 

"  As  a  co-presbyter  of  Dr.  Niles,  I  desire  to  bear  testi- 
mony to  the  salutary  influence  exerted  by  himself  and  this. 
church  of  York  upon  our  Presbytery  and  its  churches. 
Dr.  Niles  is  not  only  the  pastor,  faithful  afid  beloved,  of 
the  First  Church  of  York,  but  has  also  })roved  himself  to  be- 
a  friend  of  all  our  churches,  by  his  active  interest  in,  care- 
for,  and  oversight  of  all  of  them.  In  conclusion,  we  heartily 
congratulate  Dr.  Niles  upon  this  auspicious  day,  and  the 
church  and  people  of  York  for  so  nobly  coming  up  to  the 
more  than  ordinary  requirements  of  this  grand  occasion." 

Rev.  Dr.  C.  W.  Stew.art  next  spoke  as  representative 
of  the  Presbytery,  referring  to  the  happy  fraternal  relations 
which  have  always  existed  between  its  member  and 
especially  to  the  high  position  and  influence  maintained  by 
the  pastor  and  church  at  York. 

Salutations  from  Neighboring  Churches. 

M.  B.  F.  Willis,  one  of  the  ruling  elders  in  the  Calvary 
Presbyterian  Church,  was  next  introduced,  and  spoke  in 
substance,  as  follows : 

'*  J/r.  Chairman: — I  feel  that  I  cannot  add  much  of 
interest  to  what  has  been  so  well  said  by  those  who  have 
preceded  me,  to-night.  I  am  here,  however,  to  speak  for 
Calvary  Church,  so  happily  referred  to  by  yourself  as  one 
of  the  'two  vigorous  daughters' — a  numbers  of  whose 
members  join  with  you  in  this  evening  service.  I  feel  that 
some    personal    explanation  is   due   those  in   this   large 


CONGREGATIONAL  RECEPTION.  63 

audience  wlio  may  not  know  your  speaker — for  it  was  not 
my  privilege  to  have  been  born  into  this  fold. 

"Tliii'teen  years  ago  this  coming  month  of  June,  came 
to  the  beautiful  and  historic  town  of  York — was  one  of 
those  to  whom  you,  Dr.  Niles,  referred  in  your  interesting 
and  graphic  historical  address  of  last  Sunday  morning,  a» 
having  been  'welcomed  from  sister'  churches.  In  the 
fall  of '83  a  handful  of  us  went  out  from  your  midst  to- 
form  what  is  now  known  as  the  York  Calvary  Presby- 
terian Church.  So  few  indeed  were  we  in  number,  that  it 
could  almost  have  been  said  of  us  what  Artemus  Ward 
said  of  his  company  of  one  hundred  men  raised  during  the 
war  of  the  rebellion  (for  different  reasons,  however,  he  out 
of  courtesy,  we  out  of  sheer  necessity)  tliat  'they  were  all 
officers.'  Some  of  us  indeed,  were  obliged  to  hold  two 
and  even  more  offices  at  one  and  the  sam.e  time.  All  is 
now  ciianged — to-day  we  number  on  our  rolls  one  hundred 
and  eighty  odd  members.  Doctor  in  your  historical 
review  you  said  that  when  we  went  out  we  were 'sadly 
missed.'  We  are  not  sorry  to  know  that  we  were  thus  well 
thought  of.  But  if  our  absence  from  among  you  was  felt, 
how  must  it  have  fared  with  us?  I  think  we  all  felt  about 
as  I  did  when,  at  tiie  age  of  eight  years,  our  father  purchased 
a  farm  that  was  henceforth  to  be  our  home — and  took  us 
far  away  from  our  native  village.  I  have  a  vivid  recollec- 
tion of  how  when  the  night  drew  on  and  the  big  teams 
and  their  drivers  that  had  brought  us  started  on  their  return 
journey,  I  cried  to  go  back  to  the  dear  old  home.  Per- 
haps we  are  not  quite  ready  to  own  to  the  tears  for  what 
we  gave  up  in  going  out  from  you  to  begin  the  new  home,, 
but  we  can  assure  you,  sir,  there  was  and  is  a  warm  place 
in  our  affections  for  this  place  and  its  associations  of  hal- 
lowed memories,  and  now — while  the  cares  and  responsi- 


64  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

bilities  of  a  numerous  and  growing  cliurcli  family  press 
upon  us — we  still  find  time  on  occasions  of  this  kind,  to 
gladly  return  and  rejoice  with  you.  As  Virginia  has  been 
called  the  Mother  of  Presidents  so  may  not  you  and  this 
people  be  fitly  called  'the  mother  of  churches'  in  this 
growing  city  of  York  !  In  conclusion,  Doctor,  if  we  were 
missed  for  number  and  usefulness,  surely  it  is  no  longer  so, 
for  at  every  return,  we  see  faces  of  new  sons  and  daughters 
liere  in  ever-increasing  numbers,  and  to-day  your  church 
family  seems  larger  than  ever  befoi'e  and  so  may  it  ever 
be!" 

Following  Mr.  Willis,  Prof.  A.  B.  Garner,  elder  in 
the  Westminster  Church,  spoke  as  follows  : 

"i/?-.  Chairman^  Ladies  and  Oentlemen, Friends: — On  such 
an  occasion  and  in  such  a  gathering  as  this,  any  man  might 
be  proud  to  have  a  part.  The  one  who  ought  to  have  this 
honor  in  my  place  is  my  '  true  yoke-fellow,'  Mr.  Harry 
Myers,  who  by  his  long  experience  in  our  field  is  best 
acquainted  with  it. 

"  Westminster,  the  younger  of  the  two  daughters  of  this 
venerable  and  honored  church,  sends  you  greeting.  We 
are  scarcely  three  years  old,  and  not  yet  very  sturdy,  but 
we  have  great  perservance,  great  hope  and  faith,  and  we 
are  striving  to  teach  the  good  word  that  some  of  us  have 
been  so  well  taught  by  you.  We  bring  to  the  mother- 
church  our  dutiful  and  affectionate  salutations,  our  con- 
gratulations, and  our  good  wishes  for  all  the  years  to  come. 

"Now  the  Lord  of  })eace  himself  give  you  peace  always 
by  all  means." 

Rev.  W.  S.  Freas,  pastor  of  St.  Paul's  Lutheran  Church 
of  this  city,  next  spoke  in  a  felicitious  manner,  in  behalf  of 
the  various  denominations  of  Chi-istian  peoi)le  in  York,  and 
read  the  following  paper,  unanimously  adopted  at  a  meeting 


CONGREGATIONAL  RECEPTION.  65 

of  the  Pastoral  Association   held   on    Monday,    April  7, 
1890  : 

"  Wheras,  The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  this  city  is 
now  celebrating  the  Quarto  Centennial  o^  the  pastorate  of 
Eev.  II.  E.  NiLES,  D.  D..  and, 

"  Whereas,  That  congregation  has  always  been  among 
the  foremost  to  further  the  efforts  inaugurated  by  this 
association  for  the  promotion  of  order  and  religion  in  this 
■community,  and  its  honored  pastor,  Dr.  Niles,  has  been 
one  of  our  most  regular  and  efficient  members,  therefore 

'■'■Resolved,  That  this  Association  congratulate  the  First 
Presbj'terian  Church  of  this  city  on  the  auspicious  circum- 
stances under  which  it  celebrates  this  anniversary  ;  that  we 
record  our  recognition  of  the  marked  degree  of  success  that 
has  characterized  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Niles  in  our  midst, 
and  our  high  appreciation  of  those  qualities  of  heart  and 
mind  which  have  won,  and  retained  for  so  long  a  period, 
the  esteem  and  appreciation  of  so  intelligent  and  prominent 
a  congregation,  and  that  we  hereby  express  our  prayers 
that  he  may  be  spared  yet  many  years,  to  his  church  and 
to  us. 

"  i?eso?t'ec7,  That  we  accept  the  invitation  to  be  present 
during  the  anniversary  exercise  now  being  held,  and  that 
we  appoint  Eev.  W.  S.  Freas  to  represent  our  association 
and  bear  to  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  and  its  pastor 
an  expresssion  of  our  sentiments. 

"  A.  G.  Fastnacht, 
"  Secretary  Pastoral  Association, 

"  York,  Pa." 

At  this  stage  in  the  proceedings,  an  event  took  place 
which,  though  not  indicated  in  the  programme,  proved  to 
be  of  great  interest  to  all  concerned. 

Mr.  John  Hamilton  Small,  stepping  forward  before 


66  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

the  congregation,  began  to  address  the  pastor  in  well-chosen 
words  of  affectionate  regard,  and  in  the  name  of  tlie 
people  to  offer  some  tangible  evidence  of  their  grateful 
appreciation. 

As  he  spoke  he  unfolded  a  beautiful  white  star  which  lie 
intimated  might  be  symbolic  of  the  clean  white  pages  of 
history,  twenty- five  years  ago,  that  we  look  back  upon 
to-day  and  of  that  final  reward  which  is  assured  to  a  faith- 
ful minister  who  turns  many  to  righteousness. 

Then  at  length  removing  the  white  paper  covering,  he 
showed  that  star-shaped  figure  formed  of  tiventy-five  gold 
double  eagles  ingeniousiy  arranged — the  star  now  changed 
to  gold!  as  are  those  pages  of  history  of  twenty -five  years 
golden  with  the  records  of  a  faithful  pastorate  and  a  devoted 
people.  This  the  pastor  was  asked  to  accept  from  those 
to  whom  he  had  ministered  in  their  varied  experiences  of 
joy  or  sorrow. 

Dr.  Niles,  scarcely  able  to  command  his  emotions^ 
replied  in  substance: — That  this  event  though  not  prean- 
uounced,  could  hardly  be  called  a  surprise.  Many  things 
not  definitely  expected,  when  they  occur,  seem  almost  a 
matter  of  course.  B.  g.  A  short  time  ago  when  he  looked 
out  on  the  lawn  of  the  churchyard,  which  had  laid  brown 
and  bare  in  the  rigors  of  winter,  he  was  not  surj)rised  that 
it  had  suddenly  changed  to  verdure  and  brightness,  because 
he  knew  that  warm  suns  had  begun  to  shine  and  April 
showers  to  fall.  Neither  was  he  surprised  when  the 
feathered  troupe  which  had  been  travelling  and  giving  con- 
certs in  the  south,  came  back  to  fill  our  atmosphere  with  the 
music  of  bird  songs,  because  such  is  their  instinctive  custom 
in  this  glad  opening  season.  In  like  manner,  it  was  not 
wonderful,  when  a  people,  who  for  many  years,  have  been 
caring  for  the  temporal  wants  of  their  spiritual  leader^ 


CONGREGATIONAL  RECEPTION.  67 

take  another  opportunity  to  manifest  their  tliouglitful  devo- 
tion. Loyal,  loving,  generous  hearts  are  always  prompting 
to  timely  and  generous  deeds.  And  now,  on  this  public 
occasion,  he  was  glad  to  bear  testimony  to  the  uniform 
kindness  and  liberality  with  which  he  and  his  family  have 
been  treated.  Neither  could  he  fail  to  ajipreciate  the 
beautiful  and  touching  address  of  his  young  brother,  who 
had  not  only  expressed  the  kind  regards  of  the  congrega- 
tion, but  also  by  the  manner  in  which  he  performed  that 
office,  and  even  by  the  tones  of  his  voice,  had  so  vividly 
brought  to  mind  the  person  of  his  sainted  father,  who, 
when  he  was  with  us,  was  so  eloquent  of  speech,  and  so 
ready  for  deeds  of  generous  affection. 

To  all  who  had  taken  part  in  the  preparation  and  con- 
duct of  this  quarto-centennial  anniversary.  Dr.  Niles 
extended  assurances  of  his  grateful  appreciation.  Also  to 
bis  brethren  of  the  Presbytery,  who  had  susjiended  their 
regular  session  that  they  might  come  hither  to  take  part 
in  these  festivities.  Also  to  the  clergy  of  York  who  were 
present  in  goodly  number  and  whose  sentiments  of  fraternal 
regard  had  been  so  nobly  voiced  by  the  brother  whom  they 
had  appointed.  And  to  the  Christian  people  of  the  city — 
known  by  different  denominational  distinctions,  who  had 
manifested  so  much  interest  in  our  joy,  and  who.  in  the  dif- 
ferent services  had  been  present  with  us,  illustrating  by 
their  lively  sympathies  what  all  formally  acknowledge 
"  We  believe  in  the  communion  of  saints.'''' 

The  last  address  was  by  Rev.  Geo.  C.  Heckman,  D.  D., 
of  Reading,  who  spoke  somewhat  as  follows: 

"  Humorous  allusions  have  been  made  to  the  disclosures 
which  such  anniversaries  make  of  the  age  of  classmates. 
Well  !  a  useful  old  age  is  an  honor  from  God.  All  that  this 
anniversary  proves  is,  that  Dr.  Niles  and  his  classmates 


68  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

participating  in  tliese  delightful  exercises  have  been  in  tlie 
ministry  twenty-five  years,  and  that  in  Dr.  Niles'  case  that 
these  have  been  twenty-five  years  of  memorable  usel'ulness. 
But  the  roll  of  a  class  is  no  better  indication  of  the  relative 
age  of  its  members  than  the  roll  of  a  Presbytery  is  of  the 
age  of  its  members,  where  the  early  ordination  oC  a 
minister  may  put  below  him  a  long  list  of  members  older 
than  he,  sometimes  one  old  enough  to  be  his  father.  Thus 
in  our  class  at  Princeton  the  average  was  very  much  above 
the  age  of  the  younger  members.  Dr.  Niles  and  I  were  in 
a  class  which  through  the  course  of  three  years  enrolled 
some  sixty-seven  members,  about  one  half  of  whom  are 
still  living.  One  of  our  clossmates  had  a  daughter  fifteen 
years  old.  Tlie  brother  next  above  me  on  the  roll  was  ten 
years  my  senior,  and  the  one  next  below  me  graduated  at 
Jefferson  College  four  years  before  I  was  born.     There  was 

Brother ,  about  twenty-five  years  my  senior,  I  suppose, 

for  his  natal  day  is  modestly  withheld  from  the  records  of 

the    seminary.     On    parting    I    asked :  '  Brother , 

where  do  you  expect  to  settle.'  '  Well,'  answered  he, 
'  I  don't  intend  to  be  in  a  hurry.  I  think  I  will  s[)end 
■eight  or  ten  years  east  of  the  Alleghenies,  and  then  finally 
settle  somewhere  in  the  west.'  So  you  see  what  a  hopeful 
set  we  were.  Of  course  these  were  exceptional  cases,  and  I 
only  introduce  them  to  challenge  the  misapprenhension 
that  might  arise  from  the  remarks  of  the  dear  gray-haired 
brother,  who,  in  his  admirable  speech,  indicated  a  fear  that 
his  nativity  might  be  put  too  far  forward,  as  a  classmate 
■of  Dr.  Niles. 

"  I  came  here  to-night  under  the  expectation  that  I  had 
but  a  minute  or  two  for  salutations  and  congratulations. 
Now  I  learn  that  it  is  the  desire  that  I  should  speak  with- 
out any  limitation  of  time.     Well,  I  am  deeply  sensible  of 


CONGREGATIONAL  RECEPTION.  69 

the  honor,  but  I  am  not  preparad  to  do  justice  to  the  unex- 
pected privilege.  You  luive  already  heard  enough  to 
exhaust  an  ordinary  audience.  But  as  tliis  is  not  an  ordinary 
occasion  so  it  is  not  an  ordinary  audience.  It  is  renlly 
wonderful  after  tlie  several  crowded  services  that  have 
fitly  commemorated  this  historic  anniversary,  liere  is 
another  crowded  house,  that  has  listened  to  any  number  of 
letters,  speeches  and  anthems,  all  admirably  rendered,  with- 
out sign  of  exhaustion  or  alarm,  even  of  a  speaker  who  is 
announced  to  speak  ad  libitum^  which  in  Latin  for  '  As  long 
as  you  please.' 

"  In  my  youth,  say  a  few  years  ago,  I  heard  a  story 
which  I  shall  remember  when  I  am  an  old  man,  which  has 
done  me  (and  my  audiences)  a  world  of  good  for  many  years. 
There  was  a  men  who  attended  tlie  prayer-meeting  with 
commendable  punctuality.  Some  of  you  know  him  from 
painful  ex|)erience.  He  was  an  awful  bore,  and  I  use  that 
young  ladies'  commonplace  epithet  with  etymological 
exactness.  One  evening  Brother  Bore  sat  half  through  the 
meeting  without  breaking  silence,  itself  an  ominous 
phenomenon  not  without  disturbing  influence  in  the 
spiritual  atmosphere.  Then  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  exclaim- 
ing, 'Brethren  I  liave  just  had  a  severe  struggle  with  the 
devil.  He  has  been  telling  me  that  I  am  a  burden  to  the 
prayer-meeting;  that  I  weary  without  edifying  you;  that 
I  had  better  be  still,  and  that  you  would  all  like  it  better 
if  1  was:  but,  bretliren,  I  have  gained  the  victory  over  the 
devil,  and  I  am  going  to  speak.'  And  he  did  with  the 
usual  demoralizing  effect,  destroying  the  remaining  half 
hour  of  the  meeting.  After  the  benediction  the  pastor 
passed  quickly  to  the  brother,  and  laying  his  hand  on  his 
shoulder,  whispered,  'Brother  Bore,  I  believe  the  devil  was 
right.'     Well,  I  have  always  kept  the  courageous  humor 


70  ANNIVERSARY  EXERCISES 

of  that   pastor  in  mind,  and  I  will  now,  and  not  abuse  the 
privilege  so  courteously  accorded  me  to-night. 

"  It  was  a  sore  disaj)pointtnent  not  to  be  with  my  class- 
mates here  last  Sabbath.  My  western  residence  has  made 
our  meeting  rare,  and  death  has  made  others  impossible. 
Near  the  centre  of  the  roll  of  our  class  is  a  block  of 
fifteen  names,  between  those  of  Dr.  Erskine  and  Bishop 
LiTTLEJOHN",  in  the  midst  of  which  my  name  alone 
stands  without  the  star  of  death,  the  sole  survivor  of 
the  fifteen.  In  the  centre  of  our  class,  death  has  been 
especially  busy,  beginning  its  work  in  the  seminary.  Thus 
out  from  among  the  dead  my  name  looks  in  longing  for  my 
surviving  comrades.  For  none  of  them  have  I  ever  held  a 
warmer  heart  and  higher  respect  than  for  your  beloved 
pastor,  so  widely  known  and  highly  esteemed  wherever 
known.  This  has  been  the  growth  of  sentiment  felt  on  our 
first  acquaintance  in  the  seminary.  When  I  conducted  our 
class  prayer-meeting,  your  pastor  was  always  asked  to  take 
pai't,  as  one  whose  voice  we  always  liked  to  hear.  That 
youthful  estimate  I  can  and  do  regard  with  modest  com- 
placency, for  God  has  confirmed  it  by  honor,  usefulness  and 
happiness  with  which  He  has  crowned  the  long  and  faith- 
ful ministiy  of  your  dear  pnstor.  With  the  unanimous 
verdict  of  this  crowded  assembly,  do  I  endorse  heartily  the 
truthful  expression  of  praise  well  earned,  which  this  faith- 
ful ministry  and  Christian  character  have  received  in  the 
numerous  letters  and  adtlresses  to  which  you  have  listened 
with  eagerness  and  delight  during  these  commemorative 
ceremonies." 

After  another  selection  by  the  choir,  the  entire  congrega- 
tion arose  and  sang : 

"  Blest  he  the  tie  that  hinds 
Our  hearts  in  Christian  Love." 


CONGREGATIONAL  RECEPTION.  71 

The  people  were  then  invited  to  pass  in  companies  of 
about  three  hundred  into  the  chapel,  where  Dr.  Niles  and 
his  wife  were  requested  to  take  their  stand  and  receive  the 
personal  sakitations  of  their  friends  .  After  the  handshak- 
ing which  was  so  long  continued  and  hearty,  that  many 
began  to  fear  it  might  exhaust  the  smiling  pair  who  made 
the  centre  of  the  brilliant  scene,  the  guests  passed  up  to  the 
spacious  Sunday-school  room  which  had  been  converted 
into  a  banquet-hall,  tastefully  decorated  with  palms  and 
tropical  plants  and  flowers,  while  the  tables,  loaded  with 
luscious  trophies  of  the  gastronomic  art,  were  gracefully 
served  by  fair  women  and  maidens  who  seemed  anxious  to 
promote  the  greatest  happiness  of  all.  Those  waiting  their 
turn  in  the  church,  were  in  the  meantime  regaled  by  the 
choir,  with  five  musical  selections,  and  not  until  a  late  hour 
were  the  last  guests  waited  on,  and  the  last  words  of  con- 
gratulation uttered.  From  beginning  to  end  the  celebra- 
tion had  been  an  entire  success. 


Historical  Sketch. 


SBHE  beginnings  of  what  was  originally  known  aS' 
"The  Religious  Society  of  English  Presbyterians 
in  and  near  tlie  town  of  York,"  are  involved  in 
^"J  much  obscurity.  As  far  back  as  1762  it  appears 
that  a  little  com[)any  of  such  as  preferred  the  doctrines  and 
order  of  Presbyterianism  were  ministered  unto  more  or  less 
regularly,  by  supplies  furnished  by  the  Presbytery  of  Done- 
gal, wliose  territory  included  the  counties  of  Chester  and 
Lancaster,  and  all  west  of  them.  Subsequently,  such  sup- 
plies were  mostly  connected  with  the  Presbytery  of  Car- 
lisle,  until  the  year  1793,  when  the  congregation  at  York 
united  with  that  of  Round  Hill,  in  Hopewell  township,  in 
extending  a  call  to  the  Rev.  Robert  Cathcart,  who  had 
recently  emigrated  from  the  county  of  Londonderry,  north 
of  Ireland,  and  had  united  with  the  Presbytery  of  Phila- 
delphia. [Mr.  Cathcart  had  studied  at  the  college  in 
'rlasgow,  Scotland,  and  after  licensure  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Route,  had  preached  within  its  bounds,  for  several  years, 
before  coming  to  this  country.  Afterwards,  in  1816,  he 
received  the  honorary  title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  the 
Queen's, — now  Rutgers  College  of  New  Jersey.]  The  call 
was  accepted,  and  after  ordination  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Carlisle,  Dr.  Cathcart  became  pastor  of  the  two  congre- 
gations about  twenty  miles  apart,  preaching  to  them  on 
alternate  Sabbaths,  visiting  their  families  yearly  and  cate- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH.  73 

cliising  both  young  and  old.     At  the  time  of  liis  settlement, 
this  congregation  seems  to  have  contained  about  twenty-five 
families,  and  only  six    communicants,  all  of  whom    were 
females.     It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  the  names  of  those 
who  signed  the  call  for  this  first  pastor  cannot  now  be  given. 
But  among  them   we  are  sure  were  those  of  John  For- 
syth,   who    went    to    Philadelphia    and    made   arrange-, 
ments    for    tlie    introduction    of    Dr.    Cathcart   to  this 
people ;   of  James  Smith,  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Dec- 
laration   of    Independence,  whose    remains    sleep    in    our 
churchyard:    of   George    Irwin,   of   Doctor    William 
Kennedy,  of  William  McClellan  and  of  Jennet  Grier. 
For  about  twenty  years,  (until  1812  or  1813,)  the  affairs  of 
this  small  congregation  seem  to  have  been  managed  without 
special  regard  to  established  Ibrms.     No  reguhir  meetings 
were  held  for  attention  to  secular  matters,  and  owing  to  the 
lack  of  male  communicants,  there  were  for  several  years  no 
elders  to  care  for  the  spiritual  interests.     Yet  all  things 
moved  on  harmoniously,  a  few  active  individuals  co-oper- 
ating with  the  pastor,  whose  regularity,  punctuality  and 
good  judgment  were  abundant  guaranty  to  all.     At  length, 
however,  when  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  place  the  finan- 
cial affairs  on  a  permanent  basis,  application  was  made  to- 
the  autliorities  of  the  Commonwealth  for  a  charter  of  incor- 
poration.    It  was  granted  to  the  Rev.  Robert  Cathcart^ 
Wm.  Harris,  John  Forsyth,  John  Grier,  Wm.  Barber, 
James  Johnson  and  Penrose  Robinson,  and  their  successors 
duly  elected,  "  to  have  continunnce  forever  thereafter,  by 
the  name,  style  and  title  of  The  Trustees  of  the  English 
Presbyterian  Congregation  in  the  Borough  of  York." 
This  charter,  being  duly  certified  by   Simon   Snyder, 
Governor,  and  recorded  in  the  office   of  Nathaniel  B. 


74  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

BoiLEAU,    Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth,  December  9, 
1813,  took  effect  from  that  date. 

The  first  animal  election  under  the  charter,  was  on  the 
first  Monday  in  May,  1814,  at  which  time  the  following 
trustees  were  elected,  viz:  Rev.  Robert  Catiicart,  Wm. 
Barber,  Esq.,  James  Johnson,  Penrose  Robinson,  James 
Kelly  Esq.,  and  John  Irwin.  A  few  years  after,  on  the 
list  of  trustees  ai)pear  the  names  of  David  Cassatt,  Esq., 
and  Dr.  William  McIlvaine,  and  a  little  later,  those 
of  David  B.  Prince  and  Philip  A.  Small. 

Since  that  time,  the  following  have  served  for  various 
periods,  or  are  now  (1890)  serving  as  members  of  this 
Board:  Jacob  Emmit,  Thomas  C.  llambly,  Jonathan 
McMurdy,  Thomas  Kelly,  Henry  M.  McClellan,  Samuel 
Small,  E.  M.  Donaldson,  John  Evans,  William  R.  Morris, 
James  B,  Latimer,  Peter  Emmit,  David  G.  Bai'nitz,  Edward 
Chapin,  Robert  C.  Woodward,  James  W.  Kerr,  Eli  Lewis, 
Henry  Welsh,  Erastus  H.  Weiser,  Samuel  S.  Hersh, 
Emerson  J.  Case,  David  E.  Small,  Samuel  Small  Jr ,  John 
J,  Reed,  John  H.  Small,  George  H.  Billmeyer,  Henry  Small, 
Wm.  H.  McClellan,  Wm.  II.  Griffith,  and  James  McLean. 

The  lot  of  ground  which  from  the  begiiming  has  been 
Iield  by  this  congregation  was  granted  by  John  Penn  Senior, 
and  John  Penn,  Junior,  heirs  of  William  Penn,  and  pro- 
prietaries of  the  state  oC  Pennsylvania,  to  George  Irwust, 
Wm.  Scott  and  Archibald  McLean  in  trust,  in  the  year 
1785.  Between  this  time  and  the  installation  of  Dr.  Cath- 
CART,  probably  about  1790,  the  first  house  of  worsliip  was 
erected.  It  was  a  plain  brick  building,  to  which  various 
improvements  were  subsequently  added  from  time  to  time, 
according  to  th.e  increasing  necessities  of  the  people.  The 
most  thorough  and  important  of  these  changes  were  pre- 
vious to  the  meeting  in  this  place  of  tlie  Synod  of  Pennsyl- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH.  75 

vania,  memorable  because  of  tlie  trial  of  Rev.  Albert 
Barnes  for  alleged  heresy  in  doctrine,  which  was  one  of 
the  steps  that  led  to  the  disruption  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  in  1837.  The  congregation  continued  to  worship 
in  this  sanctuary  until  1860,  when  it  was  taken  down  to 
give  place  for  the  present  commodious  and  beautiful 
edifice.  In  June  of  that  year,  the  corner  stone  was  laid 
with  appropriate  religious  ceremonies,  the  pastor,  Rev. 
Thomas  Street,  being  assisted  therein  by  Rev.  Dr.  De- 
Witt  of  Ilarrisbnrg,  and  Rev.  Dr.  E.  E.  Adams  of  Phila.- 
delpiiia.  During  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Cathcart  (about 
1814)  a  brick  parsonage  was  ei'ected  on  the  grounds  of  the 
society,  which  with  various  modifications  continued  the 
home  of  successive  pastors,  until  March,  1886,  when  it 
was  removed  and  foundations  laid  for  the  present  con- 
venient, healthful  and  tasteful  manse  which  was  finished  in 
April  of  the  following  year. 

The  present  two-story  chapel,  so  important  a  part  of  our 
church  property,  was  erected  in  1867  in  place  of  a  small 
frame  buikling  which  had  previously  been  used  for  social 
meetings  and  for  Sunday-school  purposes. 

Near  the  close  of  Dr.  Cathcart's  pastorate,  the  first  regu- 
lar church  sessicm  seems  to  have  existed,  the  ruling  elders 
being  Dr.  William  McIlvaine,  who  was  ordained  July  19, 
1835,  and  continued  in  office  until  the  date  of  his  death  ; 
and  Peter  McIntyre,  who  served  in  the  office  about  two 
years.  ,  Subsequently  the  following  have  been  appointed  to 
this  office,  viz: 

H.  M.McClellaUjM.D.,  Ordaiued  Jan.    6,1839,  Died  Aug.  7,      1869. 

Jacob  Einmit,                        "         July    5,  1840,  "     July  2,       1865. 

Samuel  Sn.all,                        "                        1850,  "     July  14,      1885. 

Janies  W.  Kerr,  M.  D.,        "         Oct.  14,  1855,  "     June  10,     1889. 

David  Etter  Small,               "         April  16, 1865,  "     March  25,  1883. 


76  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

John  M.  Brown,  "  Feb.         1870, 

Erastus  H.  Weiser,  "  Feb.         1870,  "     July  11,      1872. 

Samuel  Small,  Jr.,  "  May  30,  1877,  Resigned  March  31,  1886^ 

Joseph  Root,  "  May  30,  1877, 

Wm.  Henry  McClellan.  "  Dec.    2,  1887, 

Henry  Small,  "  Dec.    2,  1887, 

The  following  have  also  served  as  deacons  in  this  church  r 

Jacob  H.  Huber,                              Ordained  1870.  Died  1876. 

Charles  G.  Welsh,  "  "                     Dismissed  1874. 

James  C.  Luitweiler,  "  "                            "          1883. 

Henry  S.  Myers,  "  "                              "           1887. 

Niles  H.  Shearer,  M.  D.,  "  " 

Isaac  A.  Elliott,  "  1877. 
Wm  H.  McClellan, 

After  a  service  of  42  years  in  the  united  congregations 
of  York  and  Hopewell,  in  the  year  1835,  Dr.  Cathcart^ 
resigned  his  charge  of  the  latter,  and  in  accordance  with 
the  general  desire  of  the  people  in  York,  devoted  all  his 
attention  to  this  field. 

But  after  two  more  years,  in  1837,  the  infirmities  of  age^ 
began  so  to  tell  upon  his  robust  constitution,  that  lie  also 
relinquished  tliis  pastorate.  Thenceforth,  to  the  end  of  his 
days,  he  continued  a  regular  attendant  u))on  the  services  of 
the  church,  and  in  the  quiet  home  circle  surrounded  by 
children  and  grandchildren,  passed  the  evening  of  life,  until 
at  the  age  of  90,  on  the  19th  of  Oct.,  1849,  he  was  called 
up  to  the  Heavenly  Kest. 

His  successor  in  the  pastoral  office  was  Rev.  Benjamin 
J.  Wallace,  D.  D.,  who  was  installed  on  the  9th  of  May^ 
1889,  and  ccmtinued  here  until  September,  1845,  when  he 
was  dismissed  to  accept  a  professorship  in  Delaware  College. 
Afterwards  he  resided  in  Pittsburg,  and  from  thence 
removed  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  became  editor  of  the 
"  Presbyterian  Quarterly  Beview^''^  and  so  continued  until 
his  death,  July  25,  1862. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH.  77 

Rev.  Daniel  Hopkins  Emerson,  D.D.,  a  native  of  Salem, 
Mass.,  member  of  the  Third  Presbytery  of  Philadelpliia, 
was  next  called  to  this  pastorate,  October  1st,  1845,  and 
continued  in  it  till  April,  1855,  when  he  was  dismissed 
to  engage  in  the  worlc  of  the  American  and  Foreign 
Christian  Union.  Soon,  however,  he  returned  to  the 
pastoral  office  at  St.  George's,  Delaware,  where  he  remained 
until  1868. 

Subsequently  in  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  as  secretary  of  the  Y. 
M.  C.  A.,  and  in  Philadelphia,  as  pastor  of  the  Eastburn 
Mariner's  Church,  and  missionary  for  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  he  was  eminently  useful  and  beloved,  until  his 
death,  July  6,  1883. 

Rev.  Charles  J.  IIutchins,  a  licentiate  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Erie,  was  invited  to  supply  the  pulpit  in  June,  1855, 
and  in  October  of  the  same  year,  was  ordained  and  installed 
pastor. 

Here  he  wrought  earnestly  and  efficiently  until  April, 
1859,  the  four  years  of  his  pastorate  constituting  a  period  of 
spiritual  activity  and  of  increase  in  numbers  and  power 
to  the  church. 

Soon  after  leaving  York,  he  became  a  pastor  at  Racine, 
Wisconsin,  from  whence  he  entered  the  army  as  chaphnn 
of  the  39th  Regitnent  of  that  State,  and  was  noted  for  his 
courage  and  enthusiasm. 

After  the  war  he  labored  awhile  at  Fulton,  N.  Y.,  and 
from  thence,  in  1869,  removed  to  California,  and  served  as 
pastor  at  Petaluma  ten  years. 

.  Thence,  he  removed  to  Los  Angelos,  and  in  1882  sus- 
tained a  severe  spinal  injury  by  being  thrown  fi-om  a  car- 
riage. This  was  followed  by  years  of  agonizing  experience, 
until  he  became  helpless  and  so  continued  until  his  release 
by  death.     Concerning  him,  a  friend  writes:     "No  soldier. 


78  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

not  even  Garfield  or  Grant,  ever  passed  to  the  life  beyond, 
along  a  more  terrible  pathway  of  suffering  than  he  travelled. 
Yet.  as  in  health,  so  in  sickness,  his  faith  in  God  was 
unfaltering.    '  lie  endured,  as  seeing  Ilim  who  is  invisible.'  " 

Rev.  Thomas  Street,  D.  D.,  of  Philadelphia  was  next 
called  this  church,  and  was  installed  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Harrisburg,  in  January,  1860. 

He  continued  in  this  relation  until  May,  1864,  when  he 
resigned  for  the  purpose  of  accepting  a  call  to  the  North 
Presbyterian  Church,  New  York  city,  as  successor  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Hatfield. 

After  several  prosperous  years  there,  be  accepted,  partly 
on  reasons  of  health,  a  call  to  the  Presbyterian  church  at 
Cortland,  N.  Y.  Here  he  was  blessed  with  many  encour- 
aging results,  until  his  ministry  was  suddenly  closed  by 
death.  On  his  way  with  others,  to  a  meeting  of  Synod, 
Oct.  16,  1878,  when  in  the  cars  conversing  with  a  compan- 
ion, he  was  stricken  by  heart  failure,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
expired.  The  period  of  Dr.  Street's  ministry  here  was 
one  of  great  divisions,  excitements,  and  controversies 
throughout  the  land.  When  a  war  so  terrible  was  in 
progress,  a  man  of  prompt,  outspoken,  loyal  impulse,  like 
Dr.  Street,  could  by  no  means  remain  silent  and  undecided. 
He  knew  where  his  convictions  and  his  desires  were 
directed,  and  it  was  no  doubtful  utterance  which  he  made, 
in  the  name  of  God,  for  Right  and  Liberty  and  Union. 

After  many  months  of  uncertainty  and  increasing  anxiety 
in  regard  to  a)iother  pastor,  at  length  the  attention  of  this 
church  was  turned  to  Rev.  Henry  E.  Niles,  of  Albion, 
N.  Y.  With  approval  of  the  Presbyteries  having  jurisdic- 
tion in  the  case,  he  accepted  a  call  which  was  unanimously 
extended  to  him,  and  on  the  last  Sabbath  in  February,. 
1865,  commenced  his  ministerial  work  here. 


CHURCH  CALENDAR.  79 


CHURCH    CALENDAR. 


Sanctuary  Services — Sunday  10:30  a.  m,,  and  730  p.  m. 

Sunday  Schooi^ — From  June  to  October,  9  a.  m. ;  from 
October  to  June,  1:30  p.  m. 

Young  People's  Society  Christian  Endeavor — One 
hour  before  Simday  evening  service. 

Weekly  Lecture — Wednesday  evening,  7:30  or  8 
o'clock. 

Monthly  Concert  for  Missions — The  first  Wednesday 
evening  in  each  month. 

Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper — First  Sabbath 
morning  in  December,  March  and  June,  and  second  Sab- 
bath in  September. 

Preparatory  Lecture — Friday  evening  before  the 
Lord's  Supper. 

Ladies'  Foreign  Missionary  Society — First  Wednes- 
day evening  in  each  month. 

Ladies'  Home  Missionary  Society — Second  Wednes- 
day evening. 

Niles  Mission  Band — (Young  people)  Semi-monthly, 
Friday  evening. 

Westminster  Home  Mission  Band — (Young  People) 
Semi-monthly,  Friday  evening. 

Always  Ready  Mission  Band — (Juvenile)  Semi- 
monthly. 

Annual  Meeting  of  the  Congregation.  The  first 
Wednesday  evening  in  April. 


So  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


MEMBERSHIP  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


The  only  condition  required  of  those  entering  the  Com- 
munion of  the  Church,  is  a  credible  prolessioii  of  (aith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  personal  and  only  Saviour, 
and  a  desire  to  live  in  Ilis  service,  tMkin.^-  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures as  one's  rule  of  life;  or  a  certificate  of  membership 
and  dismissal  from  some  other  Evan<>elical  church. 

It  is  sometimes  supposed  by  those  not  duly  informed  on 
the  subject,  that  each  individual  member  is  expected  to 
subscribe  to  the  whole  Form  of  Government,  the  West- 
minster Confession  and  otlier  standards  of  the  Presl)yterian 
denomination.  Such  pledge  is  required  only  of  ministers 
and  other  officers  who  are  appointed  to  teach  and  exercise 
authority  in  the  Church.  But  in  all  cases  the  stnndardsof 
the  Church  are  held  subordinate  to  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
which  are  for  Christians,  the  Supreme  Eule  of  Faith  and 
Practice. 

ADMISSION   OF    MEMBERS. 

The  Session  meets  regularly  after  the  Preparatory  Ser- 
vice to  confer  with  candidates  who  wish  to  unite  with  the 
Church,  either  by  profession  or  by  letter.  At  the  close  of 
any  other  service,  however,  or  elsewhere  whenever  desired, 
the  pastor  will  be  pleased  to  meet  such  candidates,  and  to 
make  arrangements  for  their  introductitm. 

The  baptism  of  children  may,  in  like  manner,  be  pro- 
vided for  by  conference  with  the  pastor. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  8i 


OFFICERS,     1890. 


PASTOR. 

HENRY  E.  NILES,  D.  D. 

ELDERS. 

John  M.  Brown,  Joseph  Root, 

Henry  Small,  Wm.  H.  McClellan. 


DEACONS. 

Wm.  H.  McClellan,  Niles  H.  Shearer, 

Isaac  A.  Elloitt. 


TRUSTEES. 

John  H.  Small,  Henry  Small, 

Wm.  H.  McClellan,  Wm.  H.  Griffith, 

George  S.  Billmeyer,         James  McLean, 

E.  P.  Stair,  Jas.  M.  Milligan, 

Treasurer.  Secretary. 


SEXTON. 
Wm.  p.  Zinn. 


82 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


SYSTEMATIC    BENEFICENCE. 


Annual  offerings  are  made  for  the  following  objects, 
according  to  schedules  issued  at  the  beginning  of  each 
year,  for  the  use  of  the  congregation. 


Foreign  Missions,     . 

Januar}' 

Aid  for  Colleges  and  Academies. 

.     February 

Sustentation, 

March, 

Temperance,       .... 

April, 

Publication  (Sunday-school  work), 

May, 

Home  Missions, 

June. 

Church  Erection,     . 

.       July. 

Ministerial  Relief, 

.  September. 

Education, 

October. 

Home  Missions, 

.   November. 

Freed  men  (Lincoln  University), 

December. 

On  each  Communion  Sabbath  an  offering  for  the  Deacons' 
and  Sessional  Fund. 


At   each   service   not  specially  designated,  a  collection  is 
taken  for  the  expenses  of  the   church. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  83. 


ORGANIZATIONS— 1890. 


Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society. 

Mrs.  D.  E.  Small,     ....         President. 
MRsr  H.  E.  NiLES,  .  .  .      Vice  President. 

Miss  M.  B.  Evans,  ....         Secretary. 
Mrs.  Geo.  S.  Billmeyer,  .  .  Treasurer. 


Woman's  Home  Missionary  Society. 

Mrs.  Edward  Chapin,         .  ...         President. 

Mrs.  John  H.  Small,    .  .  .      Vice  President. 

Mrs.  H.  D.  Eupp,      ....         Secretfiry. 
Mrs.  H.  a.  Ebert,  .  .  .  Treasurer. 


NiLEs  Mission  Band  (young  people). 

Mrs.  it.  E.  Niles,       ....        President. 
Mrs.  it.  D.  Eupp,  .  .  1st  Vice  President. 

Miss  Emma  L.  Fisher,  .  .    2nd     "  " 

Miss  Louisa  L.  Wallace,  .  3rd     "  " 

Miss  Bessie  Prince,  .  .  .        Secretary. 

Miss  Annie  S.  Weiser,  .  .  Treasurer. 


Always  Eeady  Mission  Band  (juvenile). 
Miss  M.  K.  Koons  and  Miss  Annie  V.  Eupp,  Managers. 


84  ORGANIZATIONS. 

Westminster  Mission  Band  (young  people). 

Mrs.  John  II.  Small,  .  .  .      President. 

Vice  President. 
Secret  Jirv. 
Treasurer. 


Sunday-school  Temperance  Society, 
Henry  Small,  ....      President. 


Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor. 

John  PIamilton  Small.  .             .              President. 

Henry  R.  Kraber,  .             .           Vice  President. 

Miss  Lucy  A.  Case,         .  .            .             Secretary. 

Miss  Minnie  M.  Gohn,  .            .            .       Treasurer. 


Ladies'  Aid  Society. 

Mrs.  D.  E.  Small,             .             .             .  President. 

Mrs.  Wm.  A.  Cook,  .  .     1st  Vice  President. 

Mrs.  Geo.  S.  Billmeyer,             .          2nd  "  " 

Mrs.  E.  p.  Stair,       .  .            .     3rd  " 

Mrs.  J.  A.  Jones,                           .             .  Secretary. 

Mrs.  W.  II.  McClellan,  .             .  .       Treasurer. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


85 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL-i89a 


OFFICERS. 


John  M.  Brown, 
Mrs.  D.  E.  Small,    . 
George  S.  Billmeyer, 
J.  Bailey  Sayres, 
Miss  Julia  A.  Small, 
S.  B.  II  err. 


Superintendent. 

Assistant  Superintendent. 

Secretary. 

Treasurer. 

Organist. 

Chorister. 


PRIMARY  DEPARTMENT. 


Mrs.  it.  W.  McCall, 
Miss  Fannie  Evans, 
P.  A.  S.  Blair, 


Superintendent- 
Assistant  Superintendent. 
Oruauist. 


Joseph  Root, 
W.  II.  McClellan, 
Dr.  N.  H.  Shearer, 
Wm.  A.  Cook, 
Henry  Small, 
Henry  C.  Niles, 
Charles  I.  Ness, 
James  M.  Milligan, 


TEACHERS. 

Mrs,  George  S.  Billmeyer, 

Miss  Mary  Kell, 
"     Emma  L.  Fisher, 
"     Lucy  A.  Case, 
"     Mary  E.  Prince, 
"     Annie  V,  Eupp, 
"     Annie  Stiuckler, 
"     Julia  A.  Small. 


86 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 


James  A.  Kell, 
John  H.  Small, 
David  E.  Small, 
Wm.  F.  Ramsay, 
James  Webster, 
Claude  C.  Graver, 
Mrs.  H.  E.  Niles, 
"     D.  E.  Small, 
"     Edward  Chapin, 
"     W.  A.  Cook, 


Katie  Eichelberger, 
M.  B.  Evans, 
E.  Catherine  Adams, 
Carrie  B.  Patterson, 
C.  A.  Wallace, 
j.  m.  quigley, 
Louisa  L.  Wallace, 
M.  R.  Koons, 
Julia  Demuth, 
Louise  Weiser. 


PERSONS  TEACHING  AS  SUBSTITUTES. 


Mrs.  John  H.  Small, 
"  W.  F.  Ramsay, 
"     H.  M.  Crider, 

W.  Carlyle  Smith, 


Mrs.  U.  D.  Rupp, 
"      James  McLean, 

Miss  Emma  C.  Jones, 
"     Anna  S.  Weiser, 


Dr.  J.  Frank  Small. 


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